Search results for: "kirin boy"

Wood Block Print – Kirin Boy

03/03/2015 //
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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

W320 X H490mm, China

If you notice from yesterday’s post, The 5 Blesssings, on either side of the print is a mother holding a baby riding on a monster looking creature.

This is no monster but a mythical kind creature known as the Kirin, Ki refers to the male creature and Rin the female.  It has  the head of a dragon, horns of a deer, eyes of a lion, the body of a tiger, the scale of fish.  Apart from its ability to offer protection to the family, it also has a special task and that is in delivering babies.  A bit like the stork’s role in the western world.  It is believe that the kirin delivered Confucius 2500 years ago.

Click here to see our items featuring the Kirin Boy.

Come to see the actual print and many others at the
New Year Print Exhibition

MOUNTAIN FOLKCRAFT
CHINESE WOOD BLOCK PRINT COLLECTION

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Categories event, painting / prints, paper

Kirin Boy Necklace

12/31/2012 //
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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERADIA180(L280mm), Hong Kong

For the celebration of the arrival of 2013, the Something Old Something New jewellery collection brings you the lucky blessing of the kirin boy.  The kirin, a mystical creature which the Chinese believe to have magical power, it also took on the role of the stork for delivery babies.  This role was attributed to the kirin from the legend of Confucius at the time before he was born; one night a kirin with a scroll in his mouth appeared in front of his parents’ house, the scroll, an announcement from heaven, has the words “he will be a wise man with good morality, though he does not have a throne, he has the virtue of a king”.  The next morning, the kirin disappeared and Confucius was born, sine then the kirin is associated with delivering babies with talents.  The kirin boy pendent, like the long life locket is a special blessing for the child wearing it.

Here is the “making off”, featuring an antique kirin boy silver pendent.

kirin boy 3

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Categories event, jewellery, leather / feather, metal, stone

Silver Brooch

05/22/2013 //
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silver brooch

W90xH70mm, Hong Kong

This smart silver brooch is made from an original kirin boy pendant, a blessing pendant for the child.  Legend had it that the kirin delivered the baby Confucius to  his parents; by putting on the figurine of the kirin boy, the parents hope that their child will also turn out to be as bright as the scholar Confucius.

SOMETHING OLD SOMETHING NEW
COLLECTIBLE JEWELLERY COLLECTION

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Categories figurine, jewellery, metal

Beijing Enamel Locket Necklace

05/10/2013 //
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locket necklace

DIA165mm, China

We have previous talked about the long life lockets as a blessing for the young, more detail can be found in the posts;
Silver Necklace, Kirin Boy Necklace, Happy Encounter Necklace, 13 Tai Bo Locket, Original Long Life Locket and others items such as Du Dou Embroidery, Clay Doll – A Fu.

This particular locket has been glazed with Beijing enamel, shao lan, a vitreous enamel process used typically for silver jewellery.  The powder enamel was melted at 600c to set on the silverware, cooled and reeapplied for 4-5 times.  Because of the low temperature firing, the different ingredient, the Beijing enamel is more transparent than the popular Cloisonne.

The technique was introduced from Europe in the late 17th century and like all novelty only restricted for court production.  By late Qing dynasty silver items of Beijing Enamel can be found in silversmiths.

This necklace has a hand woven string, with the silver locket anchored with a jade carving tube dyed traditional technique.  On the locket, there are two kirins on either side with the word of blessing – Fortune and Career

Locketlocket

Something Old Something New
Collectible Jewellery

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Happy Encounter Necklace

01/09/2013 //
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happy encounter necklace

DIA195mm, China

Now for something old, this is an original long life locket necklace.

There are a lot of symbolism on this necklace.

First, Survival –  the Locket – Long Life Locket, a lock with would secure one’s life to this work.  This have been also featured in the following blogs; Original Long Life Locket, 13 Tai Bao Locket, Kirin Boy Necklace, Locket, Silver Necklace, A Fu, Du Dou.  On this particular locket, it has written the blessing of longevity and prosperity.

Then, Happiness is a spirit that all humanity long for, the Chinese too uses a lot of symbols for it.  The two children hanging on either side of the necklace is call “Happy Encounters”,  two of them meeting up, enjoying the company of each other.  They can also be found in another one of our Original Long Life Locket.

Third, Protector – the two rounded capsules which are in fact bells in the form of a tiger head, a symbol of protection for the child.  Tiger, an animal of power has always been worshiped, the Chinese would entrust their children to be under their protection.  Other toys and children’s clothing also shared the same effect; Tiger Headband, Tiger Du Dou, Tiger Shoes, Tiger Squeak, Cloth Tiger Toy.  The bell would add another layer of that protection of the power to chase the devil away, see Bell Necklace.

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Original Long Life Locket

01/04/2013 //
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original long life locket

DIA210mm, China

For the Something Old Something New jewellery collection, there is of course something old.  This is an original long life locket, this locket, being 30omm in length would be too long for any baby to hang around the neck, it would have been hanged in the bedroom of the child which is a tradition of the Jiang Su area.  Such locket would be a gift from the god parents.  For the history of long life locket, check out our previous post locket.

If you look closely in the enlarged photo, you can see the kirin boy decorated on the locket.

This item was sold just as soon as we hang it up, but its such a nice item, I decided to include in the blog nonetheless.

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Wood Block Print – Confucius and the 4 Sages

04/14/2014 //
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Image (23)

W220xL300mm, China

This new year print is normally found in the village schools for the worship of Confucius.

Confucius is sitting in the middle holding a gui, an element of statue.  On the two sides are the 4 sages, notable Confuciusm figures; Yan Hui (顏回), Zi Si (子思), Zeng Zi  (曾子) and Mencius (孟子).  Apart from Mencius, the other 3 are the favorite student of Confucius.  Mencius was born about 100 years after the death of Confucius and was a student of Confucius’s grandson.  Mencius was expanding Confucius’s philosophy.

As in the wood block print, the 4 sages are normally seen along side with Confucius in the temples of Confucius.

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Categories painting / prints, paper

Festive Embroidery

02/07/2014 //
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W1070xH1180mm, China

A wall hanger embroidery, use for festivities such as birthday for the elders or for new born babies.

The embroidery is full of well wishes;

Blossom of the Four Season Flowers – (Narcissus, Lotus, Chrysanthemum, Plum) representing good fortune all year round.
Dragon & Phoenix – (Dragon a concept of mammals, fish and reptiles while the phoenix of the birds) the combination of the dragon and the phoenix is the totality, the perfect match.
Kirin Delivery of a Baby Boy – (legend of how Confucius was born) and of course every parents would like to have a son as smart as Confucius.
Ru Yi and the Birthday Peach – (man on a horse was holding a scepter and a birthday peach).  The birthday peach representing longevity while the decorative scepter has the name of “as you wish”.

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Categories embroidery, fabric
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