Archives for posts with tag: birthday
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Birthday Embroidery

09/20/2012 //
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W900xH2200mm, China

This silk embroidery painting is a traditional gift for birthday of a lady of high social status.  In figure in the embroidery is the saint Ma Gu and the phoenix (queen of all birds) going to give her best wishes the Queen Mother of the West (the supreme head of all female saints) for her birthday.  On the tray that she is going to present to the Queen Mother has a few of the magic peaches which are believed to take 3000 years to flower, 3000 to bare fruits and another 3000 years to ripe, a bite of it will make one immortal.  The peach is a symbol of longevity, it was also featured in God of Longevity.

Unfortunately the closest we can get to the magic peach is through pottery, carving and paintings, but if you would like to try the worldly version, it is known as the Saturn Peach (Prunus persica f. compressa), they will not make you immortal but they are super delicious.

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Categories embroidery, fabric, painting / prints

Wooden Candle Stands

07/25/2012 //
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W40xD60xH200mm, China

This is a pair of wooden candle stand that would have been mounted on a metal or wooden base, the candle would be fixed on top of the wooden stick.  Traditional Chinese candles besides having a wick embedded, a small bamboo rod is also embedded on the bottom end.  The bamboo rod made it easier for securing the candle, may it be on a candle stand, in the sand or simply in the ground.  This pair of candle stand has a relief carving of the dragon, painted in red and gold, symbolizing blessings, they would have been used for happy occasions like grand birthdays, promotions, birth of a child, etc.

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Categories lighting, wood

Buddha’s Birthday

04/28/2012 //
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W100xD100xH200mm, China

Today, the 8th day of lunar April, is the birthday of the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama).  According to the legend, on the night when Siddhartha was conceive, his mother Queen Maya has a dream.  In her dream there was a white elephant with 6 tusks holding a lotus flower went circling around her 3 times and then entered her right side.  The next morning Queen Maya told King Suddhodana the story and the King summoned the wise men to decipher the dream.  It was predicted that the child would become a great king or a Buddha (the enlighten one).

This is a wooden figurine of the Buddha, the third eye (spiritual awakening) of the Buddha is represented by the inlay of a tiny pearl.

If you happens to be in Hong Kong click here and join in the celebration.

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Categories figurine, wood
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