Qemberxanim: Chinese activist's dance

This artwork features Qemberxenim, a Chinese dancer. As an agent for social change within China, her style radically developed Chinese Dance and introduced elements of feminism to the dance tradition. This work highlights the role of creative self-expression in social justice reforms towards a more equitable, inclusive, and diverse culture. 

5 Qemberxanim OG Rendering.jpg

Doug Jones. "Qemberxanim." December 3, 2019. Pixel Technique Piece.

The image above features a woman and man facing each other dancing. The woman is smiling and has her upper body tilted back with her arms reaching, palms upward, toward the sky. She is in a long white dress with wide sleeves, a burgundy bodice, embroidered hat, and long braids. The man is kneeling and holds a stick with two rings on it. He is wearing a square-shaped embroidered hat and a striped robe in green, burgundy, and gold. 

It was created by faculty and library staff associated with the University of Michigan Asia Library and the LSA’s Asian Languages and Cultures department. 

You can view items from the Chinese Dance Collection in the Pioneers of Chinese Dance Digital Archive. To learn more about the University of Michigan Library’s collection of Chinese Dance please visit our research guide.

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