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Embroidery – Return to Jing Zhou

04/21/2015 //
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L300xW300mm, China

The composition of the embroidery is based on a scene in the Beijing Opera – Return to Jing Zhou.

The story was set in the 3 Kingdoms Period,

WEI – led by East Han chancellor Cao Cao, adviser Sima Yi
WU – led by Sun Quan, adviser Zhou Yu
SHU – led by Liu Bei, general Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun, adviser Zhu Ge Liang

Sun Quan and Zhou Yu (WU) set up a plan to get Liu Bei (SHU) to hand over his strong hold Jing Zhou.  Sun Quan has a beautiful sister, to lure Liu into the trap, he proposed to Liu Bei for a marriage to his sister, a union of the 2 kingdoms. Liu Bei in return would have to go to WU for the wedding.  This is a proposal Liu Bei cannot lightly turn down for the sake of his kingdom.  Sun Quan however has no real intention of marrying his sister to his enemy, he would wanted to capture Liu Bei and and force him to hand over his kingdom.  Luckily before Liu Bei’s departure, his wizard adviser Zhu Ge Liang see through the trick and handed 3 notes to Zhao Yun and asked him to escort Liu Bei to Wu.  When Liu Bei crossed to Wu he opened the first note, it asked Liu Bei to visit the father in law of Sun Quan.  Impressed by Liu Bei and thinking that a union of the 2 kingdoms is a good idea from Sun Quan, the in law asked for Sun Quan’s mother for her approval for the marriage.  The empress dowager agreed and the marriage went ahead.  Sun Quan found out he has lost his sister, set out to detained Liu Bei in Wu.  Liu Bei opened the second note, it asked for a faked report that Jing Zhou was being attacked by now their common enemy Cao Cao (WEI).  Having a great excuse, Liu Bei together with his newly married wife and his men left Wu for Jing Zhou.  Sun Quan found out and had his general went after them.  Liu Bei then opened his third note, in the note it asked him to leave the defense to his wife.  Now in love with Liu Bei, the princess gave the general a hard time and refused to return to Wu.  When Liu Bei returned to Jing Zhou, Sun Quan’s army was confronted by Liu Bei’s general Zhang Fei and badly defeated.

A common Chinese phrase came from the story, 賠了夫人又摺兵 (not only losing the girl but the battle as well) – something similar to the phrase “throw the helve after the hatchet”.

Click here to see our wood block prints which also depicted the same opera.

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Categories embroidery, fabric

Du Dou

01/29/2015 //
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W240xH170mm, China

The embroidery for this child’s du dou (traditional under garment) departed from the popular theme of blessing; that of fertility, protection, etc.

It is unusual for the embroidery to depart from the generic themes of blessing, I have a feeling that the embroidery is the portrait if of the child the du dou is for, a chubby naughty boy who is the darling in her mother’s eyes.

Click to see our other du dou.

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Categories costume, embroidery, fabric

Du Dou – Goddess of Child Delivery

01/13/2015 //
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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAW510xH420mm, China

In the center of the du dou (traditional Chinese under garment) is an embroidery of the Goddess of Child Delivery, the Taoist goddess who is in charge of fertility and child bearing.  The young wives would worship the goddess by offering sweet and fruits in the temple, a “cim” stick would be drawn, a lucky cim would meant the goddess has granted the woman’s wish of having a child, a small jacket would then be put on the child figurine which the goddess is holding.  After the child is born, the mother would return to thank the goddess with a feast of offering.

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Categories costume, embroidery, fabric

Jewellery Stole

12/23/2014 //
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L600mm, Hong Kong

Still looking for an unique piece of stole to wear for this X’mas and New Year celebration?

With the center of the piece hanging around the back of the neck, the two decorative ends are parallel to each other in the front.

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Something Old Something New
Collectible Jewellery Collection

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

Tribal Bag

12/10/2014 //
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BagW370xH300mm, China

This shoulder bag is from the Bai tribe of China.

Composed of embroidery, patchwork, though colourful has a beige handwoven cloth as the base for the bag.
White is the colour for the Bai tribe (Bai meaning white), they based their costume on this colour, the noblest of colour.

 

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Categories container, costume, embroidery, fabric, tribal

Tribal Costume

11/11/2014 //
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costume
W450xL700mm, China

This costume belonged to the Sanjiang Dong Tribe of the Guangxi area.

The garment is made with handwoven fabric with brocade trimming around the collar and placket, a decorative embroidery trimming is added to the bottom of the jacket.  It would be worn as an opened jacket revealing the embroidered du dou that is worn underneath.

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Categories costume, embroidery, fabric, tribal

Children’s Hat

10/30/2014 //
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DIA160xH200mm, China

Still looking for a hat for the Halloween?

The creature on top of the hat is not an alien or a monster but a tiger.  This powerful animal has been a subject for worship, its strength and fearless image offers a kind of protection and aspiration for the Chinese.  Along with other costume of the tiger theme, the tiger hat would be given to the child by the parents on Chinese New Year so the child can be protected for the rest of the year.

Click here to see the other tiger costumes.

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Categories costume, embroidery, fabric

Hand X-Stitch Trimmings

10/06/2014 //
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stitch clothW90xL600mm, China

 A piece of hand embroidery from the minority tribes of the Yunnan province.  A simple geometrical composed with x-stitch embroidery, this piece consist of 3 trimmings for sleeves or pockets, adding some fine details to the costume.

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Categories embroidery, fabric

Du Dou – Guangdong Embroidery

08/20/2014 //
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embroidery 2 W350xL350mm, China

A delicate embroidery of flowers with gold threads on a fine piece of silk.  An example of the school of Guangdong embroidery where different thread material is being used, gold, silver, horse hair and even threads made from peacock’s feather.

This item is a du dou, a traditional under garment which is made by the girl for their lover, husband and children.  The pattern on the this du dou seems to be cropped which might indicate that it was taken from a fine top garment, something that is far too precious to throw away even if certain part is torn.

embroidery

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Embroidery Portfolio

07/28/2014 //
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W140xD160mm, Hong Kong

A small portfolio decorated with a piece of embroidery filled with blessing symbols.

The cow in the middle of the embroidery is known as a Spring Cow, it is part of the Chinese New Year traditional that has been passed down since 800B.C.  The figure of a cow would be made with straws and mud, a day before (Li Chun – the first day of spring in the 24 solar terms) it would be brought to front gate of the town where it would be whipped by all the notable of the town or village.  The ritual is believed to wake up the Spring Cow, the passing of the freezing winter, the start of agriculture and the gone with winter ailmnet.  With us city dwellers who are far away from the farmland and the fields, the only Spring Cow we will see is perhaps the one printed at the back of the Tung Shing which gives us prediction of the year’s weather.  Well, for this year will is suppose to be drought, we seems to be getting a lot of rain so far.
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Around the Spring Cow are blessing objects;

@12 o’clock –  yellow moon, an object of worship,
@2 o’clock – the double trapezium, Fang Sheng, the hairstyle of the Queen Mother of the West, has the ability to pacify,
@5 o’clock – rhino horn, resembling victory,
@7 o’clock – scroll of  books and painting, wisdom
@10 o’clock – the 3 blessed star Fu Lu Shou,
@11 o’clock –  in form of a white cloud shape is Ru Yi, “as you wished”.

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Categories container, embroidery, paper
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