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General With Double Hammer

07/31/2012 //
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W200xD150xH500mm, China

This figurine was made from the famous Shi Wan pottery town in the Guang Dong region.  Their figurines are typical to have a glazeless delicate facial and hand depiction while contrasting with an expressive and bold glazing on the clothing.  Another example can be seen in an earlier post, “Shi Wan Figurines“.

The general depicted here is one of the “3 good blokes” of the Tang dynasty, Pei Yuan Qing, his weapon is a pair of golden melon hammer.

You will be seen in this clip how the weapon  is being used (well at least in the Beijing opera).  This is a graduation show from the students of the Beijing opera school.

My dog spike has started sighing, ok ok, I promise no more Chinese opera reference for a while.

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Categories figurine, pottery

Coconut Lid Containers

01/27/2014 //
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coconut lid container

DIA130xH110, DIA120xH90, DIA130xH60mm, Hong Kong

This is my newly completed pottery project, continuing with the Something Old Something New theme and the Lotus Leaf Vessel project.  I set out to make containers for these antique coconut lids which were featured on the blog a while back.  They are beautifully carved with the word “longevity” and the 8 lucky treasures and on the back are sealed with a lead lid.

The containers are glazed with bronze oxide on the exterior to match with the golden longevity symbol on the lids.  They will be perfect for offering sweets and other goodies over the Chinese New Year.

coconut lids

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Categories container, JT pottery, pottery, Uncategorized

Oil Lamp

08/08/2013 //
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oil lampW90xD60xH200mm, China

 A figurine of a boy dressed in a du dou, a long life locklet and lifting a bowl on top of him.  The bowl is the oil container for the oil lamp while the boy being the stand.  The name of the lamp, “Boy Raising A Lamp” (童子舉燈) signified however, the lamp is referring only to the container itself.  This is a popular theme for Chinese oil lamp, of different material and for pottery different kilns.  This figurine is an example of the Ci Zhou kiln.  The name 童子舉燈 “Tong Zi Ju Deng” is taken as a blessing for the child of the family, the first three words 童子舉 is a name for a official tang dynasty exam for the gifted child of under 10 years of age, while the word 燈 “deng” is a homonym to the word 登”deng” meaning ascend, achieved.

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Categories figurine, lighting, pottery

Beijing Enamel Locket Necklace

05/10/2013 //
0

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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Categories event, jewellery, metal, stone

Happy Encounter Necklace

01/09/2013 //
0

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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Categories event, jewellery, metal

13 Tai Bao Locket

12/21/2012 //
0

13 locket

DIA165mm, Hong Kong

To keep everyone safe for the rumor of today being the end of the world, we have an old long life lockets for tonight’s post.

Long life lockets are normally given to a baby on its 100th day’s birthday by the grandmother as a blessing for the child.  In old China when mortality rate is high, the locket is a symbol of locking the child’s life to this world.  There are 4 words on this locket, “13 Tai Bao”, Tai Bao is a high level court official whose duty is to care and guide the emperor.  Legend has it Guang Hui Wang has 13 sons who  are on earth to care and guide humanity.  The 13 Tai Bao is so well known for their protection that even a famous herbal tea for securing pregnancy is named after them.

See our other references of the long life lockets; Silver Necklace, Clay Doll – A Fu, Du Dou Embroidery, Locket.

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Categories event, jewellery, metal, stone

Tiger Embroidery

05/25/2012 //
0

W75xH200mm, China

This small piece of silk embroidery (which we have framed) was taken from a children’s underwear (Du Dou).  The Du Dou is an undergarment for cover the chest and tummy, its a rectangular or square piece of cloth to be worn diagonally with the top corner trimmed for the neck.  2 strings affixed to the top corner is tied around the neck while the 2 strings attached to the side corners are tied around the back.  The embroidery patterns for children are of the theme of blessing; tiger is one of them.  Tiger is seen as an animal of strength and power, it has been worship for its protection; it is believed that evils will be frighten away when embroidery that has been wrapped around a child.  The tiger Du Dou is traditionally worn by all the children and babies on Duan Wu (the day of ills).

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Categories costume, embroidery, fabric, painting / prints

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

Tiger Mitten

06/14/2013 //
0

tiger mitten

W110xL180mm, China

In China, the idea of tiger is not seen as a threat but a sign of protection.  The strength and bravery of a tiger is aspired to; for the Chinese New Year, parents would dress the baby up in tiger gear, both as a protection blessing as well as a wish for their son to have the tiger’s attributes.

Apart from tiger mitten, there are tiger hats, tiger shoes, tiger du dou and of course tiger toys.

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Categories costume, embroidery, fabric

Yuan Xiao

02/06/2012 //
2

DIA110xH70mm, China

Today is the 15th day of the Chinese New Year, Yuan Xiao, a day which denotes a lot of events;
– First full moon of the new year
– End of the Chinese New Year celebration
– Chinese valentine’s day
– Lantern’s festival

It is traditional to have a rice dumpling soup on the day and to solve the lantern riddle.
Here is the recipe for the rice dumpling soup (also known as Yuan Xiao)

INGREDIENTS

For the dumpling (make 10 dumpling)

  • 110g glutinous rice flour
  • 100g water
  • 25g black seasame seed
  • 25g sugar
  • 1.25 tbs butter (the traditional version is to use lard)

For the soup

  • 625ml water
  • 40g sugar brown sugar bar
  • 3 slices of ginger
  1. Heat the sesame seed in a pan in medium heat (keep stirring) until popping
  2. Grind the cooled sesame seed in a blender or mortar
  3. In a heated pan, melt the sugar, butter and blend in the sesame paste, then put in the fridge
  4. For the skin dough, mix the rice flour with water, knead until  it is no stick to the hand
  5. Make 10 little balls with the dough, take 1 ball, flatten it  and make a slight dent, put the sesame stuffing in and lightly let the dough envelop in the stuffing and shape the dumpling into a ball again
  6. Make the sweet soup by adding the 3 items in a saucepan and boil till the sugar dissolved
  7. In other large pan of boiling water, add in the dumpling, they will start to float when they are cooked
  8. Put a couple of dumpling in a bowl of sweet soup, enjoy!

LANTERN RIDDLE

Here is a lantern riddle to go with your dumpling soup (now all you need is to find a valentine and a lantern …)

WHEN IT IS SITTING ITS SITTING
WHEN IT IS STANDING ITS SITTING
WHEN IT IS MOVING ITS SITTING
WHEN IT IS SLEEPING ITS SITTING

(guess an animal)

The bowl presented here is in fact a tea bowl (blue and white porcelain with painted goldfish), its a brewing and drinking bowl for individual enjoyment.  Hot water is added to the tea leaves in the bowl, rinse and drained (use the lid to retain the tea leave).  A second round of hot water is added and brew for 10 minutes.  The lid is opened for appreciation of the scent and the colour of the tea, it is then close again with a small small opening.  Tea is slowly sipped out from the gap.

(answer to the riddle – frog)

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Categories container, pottery
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