Chinese Colors
Expressing Emotions Through Color: Eastern Wisdom of the Five Colors
Paint Color
A deep color palette derived from natural lacquer
#1A1A1A
black
Mysterious and profound, the dawn of heaven and earth
I Ching Hexagrams
Kun Hexagram
Integrity and inclusiveness
Western Art Comparison
Background color of Caravaggio's "The Calling of Saint Matthew"
Lacquer Base ColorInk wash calligraphyBuilding beams and columns
#C9452B
Cinnabar
Lucky, auspicious, and warding off evil
I Ching Hexagrams
Li Hexagram
Radiant and passionate
Western Art Comparison
Titian's "Venus of Urbino" red curtain
Palace Wall ColorsSeal inkWedding Decorations
#C9A961
amber
Refined, luxurious, and timelessly elegant
I Ching Hexagrams
Gen Trigram
Steadfast as a mountain, ever striving for excellence.
Western Art Comparison
Rembrandt's "The Night Watch" – Golden Light and Shadow
Furniture InlayJewelry MakingScripture Transcription
Dialogue of Colors: East and West
Aesthetic Expression of the Same Color Across Different Cultural Contexts
Traditional Chinese Colors
Cinnabar Red
Palace Walls, Weddings, Festivals
Imperial Yellow
Sovereignty, Land, Harvest
Cobalt Blue
Porcelain, textiles, and colorful paintings
Color Usage in Western Art
Titian's Red
The Venus of Urbino
Gustav Klimt's Gold
"Kiss"
Vermeer's Blue
Girl with a Pearl Earring
Get the full color guide
Fill out the form below to receive our complete e-handbook on traditional Chinese colors via email.