The oil lamp would have been as common an object at home as today’s light fixtures. Since its invention 2000 odd years ago, it had took on many forms, style and decorations. This particular one, would be a basic and utilitarian version. For those younger generations whom has not use an oil lamp before, the ceramic part should here acted as a stand, a small metal dish topped with tung oil would be placed on the top of the stand. A wick will be tipped into the oil with one end placed at the edge of the dish to be lighted up.
The title for this wood block entitled, A Tank Full of Gold Fish, 金魚滿堂 (jin yu man tang). Though gold fish is a popular pet for the Chinese, the blessing behind the cute gold fish is a play with homophone. The words 金玉滿堂 also share the same pronunciation but instead of gold fish, the large space is filled with gold and jade.
It seems tremendously greedy to wish for a room to be filled with money, but throughout history China has been war, famine and hardship, a wish portrayed in the form of cheerful gold fish is for some the only thing that keep them going and maybe one day, they will have their living room filled with gold and jade.
This cute looking creature is a kirin, a mythical animal, it has the head of a horse, a pair of horns, a body full of scale and the tail of a dragon. It is kind, peace loving, for this gentle nature, it is often portrayed to be riding on clouds or waves and not treading over the delicate grass. The kirin lives in the sky and only one rare occasions will visit human, bringing along good fortune, thus seen as a good omen.
A pendant carving of the Buddha’s hand fruit (Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis). The shape of this finger like citrus fruit resemble the Buddha’s mundra and often used as an offering in the Buddhist temple, its also a symbol of happiness, longevity and fortune.
The natural sculptural shape of the Buddha’s hand fruit also made it a popular carving subject.
The fruit also gives a slight citrus aroma, when placed in a room its fragrance will refresh the entire space.
Master 7 and Master 8 comes in a pair, 7 tall and white, 8 shorta and black . Master 7&8 (aka the Black and white Supernaturals) are probably the most horrifying members of the underworld as they are guards from hell who also execute punishment for the dead. Master 7 is known as Xie Bi An, Master 8 Fan Wu Jiu, the two were close friends who worked as guards for a small court. One day the prisoner they were escorting managed to escaped. They went their separate ways to search for the fugitive and agreed to meet back at the embankment by the bridge at a certain hour. It rained hard and didnt stop, Xie (8) didnt manage to get to the embankment in time while Fan (7) waited. Fan saw the water level on the river raise, started to flood but remain there, he didnt want his friend to think that he has deserted him and left Xie to take the blame of losing the prisoner. When Xie got there, the river has flooded, Fan being a shorty got drowned. Xie was upset with himself, he was too tall to drown himself, so he found a tree and hang himself, finally making the appointment with Fan in the underworld. The Jade Emperor was impressed by the loyalty the two has shown and made them the Generals of Hell.
On the night of the Halloween when all the ghosts are about, perhaps Master 7 and 8 would get a day off from their tasks as well.
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.
Mountain Folkcraft 