Aside from all the symbolism that the umbrella has on Hong Kong recently, this is a paper cutout from the scene of the Opera Madam White Snake. The story was set at the West Lake in Sung dynasty, one day in the rain the young gentleman Xu Xian (figure above) saw two pretty girl at the pier and offered the umbrella to them leading to the romance of the story. Earlier on, Xu Xian rescued a white snake, it was moved and fell in love with Xu. The white snake transformed herself into Bai (white) Su Zhen and together with her friend Qing Qing (green) appeared at the pier. Under her magical spell, Xu fell in love with Bai.
Paper cutout is a traditional Chinese craft, a simple way of decoration which was displayed on windows, lamp shade, anywhere with translucency of light .
The scene of the paper cutout card is taken from Beijing Opera – Wen Zhao Guan.
The story is set in the end of the Spring and Autumn Period (485BC), due to political slander Chu State offical Wu was under warrant while his father and brother was being executed. Wu was hoping to escape to the neighbour Wu State but at the check point (Zhao Guan) he saw his arrest warrant on the wall. Hermit Dong met him in the mountain and recognize that he was the wanted man but felt the unjust upon Wu and hid him in his home. For 7 days, Dong entertainment him talking about all sorts but not a word about the escape, Wu lost patient as he had planned to rebuild his power and revenge for his family and hanging around is like torture. Dong calm him down and said it was all planned out and that they were just waiting for a person. That night Wu was restless, he had the urge to leave and to move on but he was worry for his arrest at the gate. After a night of anxious tournament all his hair has turned grey, his was even more trouble but Dong was happy that his planned has worked out. Dong has a royalty friend Huang, who looked very much like Wu, Huang would pretend to be Wu and when the 3 of them cross the gate, the guard will only concentrate on Huang, now that Wu has a whole head of grey hair he was disregarded.
A phrase of blessing, 福壽無疆 “Fu Shou Wu Jiang”, good fortune and longevity without limit.
On the print are 4 fruits (from right to left); the Buddha’s hand fruit, the peach, large fruit and the pomegranate, they are also symbol of blessings.
Buddha’s Hand Fruit 佛手 – the fortune hand 福手 as they share the same pronounciation “Fu Shou”. Longevity Peach 壽桃- the magical peaches that produce longevity.
Large Fruit 碩果- the rare individual that made large achievements. Pomegranate 石榴 – the many seeds of the pomegranate symbolizes many sons.
This new year print was from the Ping Yang school which started print making since the Sung dynasty. This print is by one of the famous print shop 興昌畫店 in Lin Fin Town.
One of a pair of cards for with the blessing “peace for the 4 seasons“.
Features boys each holding a potted plant, plum blossom, orchid, chrysanthemum and lotus, the four plants are known as the four season flowers, each representing a season.
This little gadget is a part of the traditional Chinese stationary. A vessel to contain water for diluting the ink on the inkstone, known as a water drip. The water is drip out from the spout, the velocity of the flow is control by easing the finger placed over the small hole. These water drips though functional is also a item of delight for the scholars, one would have several of these, if I would have to draw a parallel in today’s world … iphone cases I suppose?