Search results for: "mid autumn"

Peach Guo Mould

08/19/2013 //
2

cookie mouldW120xL230xD20mm, China

This is a wooden mould for making the famous red peach guo.  Guo is Chaozhou dumpling that is made for festivals as well as for everyday snacks.  The peach shaped guo reserved for festive days like the Chinese New Year, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid Autumn Festival, Winter Solstice, they are also made for the new born baby by the grandma on its hundred days’ celebration.

The peach shape symbolizes longevity, it is again emphasized by the word “壽” in the middle of the mould.

Here is the master mould carver working on a turtle shape guo mould.

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Categories tools, wood

Winter Solstice

12/21/2012 //
0

leather flower

DIA130xH40mm, China

Today is the day of the Chinese winter solstice, Dong Zhi, it is one of the most important date for the rural China.  Early in 500 B.C., basing from sun dial, the date for the 4 seasons were defined with the day of the shortest shadow at noon being summer solstice and the longest being winter solstice.  Here are 2 folk proverbs prediction basing on the weather on the day of winter solstice, take a note and see if they are right.

Warm on Winter Solstice, freezing till middle of March;
Cold on Winter Solstice, Spring will have an early warmth.

Rain on Winter Solstice, sunny on Chinese New Year;
Rain on Mid Autumn, sunny onWinter Solstice.

White leather brooch, for the longest night of the year.  Happy winter solstice!

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Categories event, jewellery, leather / feather

Lord Rabbit

04/08/2012 //
1

W100xD50xH130mm, China

This is no Easter bunny but the famous Lord Rabbit.  It is a toy for the Mid Autumn (full moon) festival in the Beijing area.  The Lord Rabbit figurine first appeared in the late Ming dynasty, it was mainly used for worshipping by the younger generations.  It is believed that Chang E, the moon goddess, has a pet rabbit who is whiter than white jade as he was named as the Jade Rabbit.  The Jade Rabbit was specialised in preparing the medicine (you might have seen images of him stirring the medicinal pot on the moon).  Jade Rabbit worshipping has then been taken into moon worship and since rabbit has been kept as a household pet, out of respect for the Jade Rabbit god he was worshipped as the Lord Rabbit.  By Qing dynasty Lord Rabbit has turned into a toy for the Mid Autumn festival.  The folk story goes; once Beijing was infected by plague, almost all the household got sick, the moon goddess was sadden by the news and sent the Jade Rabbit to help cure the capital.  At each household he healed he would turned down any gifts but instead borrow a new set of clothing.  With the new clothing he would assume a different image for the next household, sometimes a female, sometimes a general etc.  He would also take on different animals for transportation; a deer, a tiger, a horse etc., hence there are many different versions of his figurines.

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Categories clay, figurine, toy

Fish Lantern

09/12/2011 //
0

Happy Mid Autumn Festival

H1000xL1000xW300mm, China (Hong Kong)

The Mid Autumn Festival is celebrated on the night when the moon is the fullest.  The full moon symbolises a reunion, a blessing for the family.  The night of the festival is on the 15th of  the lunar august (the day which enters into the second half of autumn).  In the Southern part of China, one of the main activity of the festival is the lantern gathering; families will take a stroll with the lanterns while appreciating the fullness of the moon.  The lantern take in many forms; rabbit, star fruit, gold fish, carp etc.

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Categories lighting, toy

Moon Cake

09/19/2013 //
2

moon cakeW70xL70xH25mm, Hong Kong

This is a ceramic paper weight made in the shape of a moon cake.

Today is the 15th of lunar August, the middle of autumn when the moon is at its fullest.  Since the Zhou dynasty people has started to worship and celebrate the moon on this night.  Food, such as moon cake, water melon, apple, dates, plums and grapes will be offer to the moon on an alter together with candles.  Today, for most people the moon festival is about the appreciation of the moon, a time for family reunion and of course a feast.

As people becomes more health conscious in recent years, the once a year of loaded sugar and cholesterol is too much for some, the sales of moon cake has started to decline.  However, they have found another target customer – doggy mooncake, mooncake made especially for the man’s best friend.  Looks like they have found spotted the right target!

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Categories pottery, stationary
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