Archives for posts with tag: chinese
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Scale

02/01/2012 //
0

L550xW80mm, China

This is a chinese traditional scale used for measuring light weight items such as gold or herbs.  The scale work by the concept of a lever; the item to be weight on one end and the weight on the other.  The weight is slide along until the scale is balanced and from the markings of on the rod, the weight of the item can be told.  The small red tassels are the points for pivots, changing the pivot points will give provide a different range for the scale.  This is a portable scale with a custom made bamboo casing.  The earliest found scale was dated around 700BC; the unit weight for the scale has been changing since, this scale is based on 16 tael to 1 catty, 1 tael = app 37.8g which is the current unit used for the hong kong wet market.

Tags , , , ,
Categories bamboo, metal, tools, wood

Bamboo Basket

01/31/2012 //
0

DIA360xH110, China

Bamboo basket (tray like) used to be a common household item; in the days when refrigerator is not so common, the weaving of the bamboo strips avoid trap moisture and made the vegetable and fruit stored last longer.  Apart from the everyday use, the bamboo tray basket also feature on the wedding day, when the bride leaves her parents home a respected female of the family will use the bamboo basket to shield the bride from the sun.

Tags , , , , ,
Categories bamboo, container

Cat Roof Tile

01/30/2012 //
0

W80xD120xH150mm, China

These are roof ridge tiles called the cat shingles, in the Yun Nan area each house would have one placed on the center of the roof ridge with its back toward the courtyard and facing the outside.  Although they are called cats, they are actually resemble tiger (you can see this by the 王 sign on their forehead, this is a symbol for all the Chinese tiger figurines).  It is believed these tiger figurines are capable of  protecting the household by eating up all the demons and bad feng shiu.  On the day when the cat tile is set on the roof, a special ceremony will take place (on a even number day in lunar feb or aug) which involve feeding the tile cat dates and nuts, a sprinkle of  chicken blood, chants, incense, burning of paper, followed by member of the family petting the cat and finally the awakened cat will be placed on the ridge.  On the 1st and 15th of every lunar month, incense will be offered to the cat.

Tags , , , , , , ,
Categories figurine, furniture / architecture, pottery

Gourd Cricket Cage

01/29/2012 //
0

DIA100xH220mm, China

This cute little man is in fact a gourd!  It doesnt have the normal “8” shape (see entry Small Gourd) as it was been formed with the string bounded technique.  When the gourd is still green and tender, a string is fastened to it tightly, the string is use as a guide and restriction for its growth, by the time when it is ripe and fully grown a certain shape is formed.  This reminded me some of Araki Nobuyoshi’s work, perhaps both has a feeling of manipulation and distortion.  The drawing on the gourd is done by a technique known as heat engraving; a metal needle is inserted into a large joss stick (finger thick), the joss stick is then lighted up, using the heat the score skin of on the air dried fruit, creating a mark.  The heat can be lowered by clipping away portion of the burning joss stick.  There are different needles for different lines and shade; mainly, the pointed set for lines, horse shoe shape set for shading and knife shape for smoother lines.  Now the function of this little man, its a toy cricket cage for children to keep their pets.  The man will be at a headstand position with the lid on top, the shape of the gourd will give a resonance for the song of the crickets.

For the bamboo cage, see entry cricket cage

Tags , , , , , ,
Categories cage, container, figurine, toy

Vanity Box

01/28/2012 //
0

W180xD230xH140mm (300mm when opened), China

Ladies like to put makeup on and look pretty and the Chinese ladies are no difference.  The concept of the Chinese vanity box has been around since the Sung dynasty; the mirror being part of the lid, can be folded away inside the box.  The little drawers store all the essential rouge, eye liners etc.  This box is decorated with the mother of pearl inlay.

Tags , , , ,
Categories container, furniture / architecture, glass, wood

Money God

01/27/2012 //
0

DIA60xH80mm, China

Today is the 5th day of the Chinese New Year and the day for welcoming the Money God, the Money God has his four assistants will visit and bless randomly a handful of people.  On the day of the 5th, you might notice that shops and households trying to draw their attention with fire crackers or food in front of their statue (or nowadays the free posters that come with the weekly magazine).

It is a toy for the drinking game since the Tang dynasty, after wobbling, the person he is looking at will have to drink up!  This money god roly poly toy is made of paper with clay as a weight.

Tags , , , , , , , ,
Categories clay, figurine, paper, toy

The Return of the Kitchen God

01/26/2012 //
0

W500xH900mm, China

Previously we talked about preparing the Kitchen God for his report to the Jade Emperor, traditionally today (4th day of Chinese New Year) is the day to welcome him back to the household.  (see Kitchen God Wood Block Print-12/04/2011)  The feast would be the same as that is served for welcoming a guest that has travelled from afar.  Everyone in the household has to be present so he can keep his censors for the new year correctly.

This wood block print was from the 26th year of the Republic of China, i.e. 1938.  Every year a there will be a new calendar for the Kitchen God.  The two gods in the middle are the  Kitchen God and his wife, on the upper row is the god of fertility, the 4 gods on either sides are 3 categories of saints (upper, middle and ground), the lower 4 are the junior money gods and the money bringing kid and the pair of door gods.  For this particular kitchen god, his schedule is tighter then the one traditionally practice, he departs for the Jade Emperor on the 23rd eve and returns on the 5th hour of the New Years day.

Tags , , , , ,
Categories painting / prints, paper

Year of the Dragon

01/24/2012 //
0

W140xL180xH160mm, China

Everyone must have seen the dragon dance during Chinese New Year, ever wonder how the dragon head is constructed? Here is a miniature version of the bamboo structure that goes under the paper or cloth constructed skin (which belongs to a dragon kite). Bamboo stripes are bend and tied together at junction points with a paper knot. For the actual performance piece the structure will be will be stronger and bolder. The body is made with piece of red cloth with resembled the scale of the dragon, with rods every 1.8m apart for the dancers to control the body. The length between the head and the tail can go up to 4m. Another dancer will raise a sphere for the dragon to chase.

In a traditional dragon dance, in a ceremony the body of the dragon will be invited out from the Dragon King Temple, the head and the tail will be attached and only then will the eyes be drawn on the dragon. Dragon is a creature both respected and feared by the Chinese, being the leader of the 4 spiritual creatures, it is believed to be able to control the sea and the weather, make it calm and peaceful or cause the wave to become furious. After the performances of the dragon dance, the head and the tail will be dismantled and burnt, only the body will returned to the temple to be kept for next year’s dragon dance.

Tags , , , , ,
Categories bamboo, figurine, paper, toy

Chinese New Year Box of Goodies

01/23/2012 //
2

W300xL300xH80mm, China

On Chinese New Year and the few days after, it is traditional to visit family and friends to give them good wishes in person.  Every household would prepare a box filled with goodies to entertain their guests.  The box would contain a set of porcelain dishes so that an assortment of snacks and sweets can be displayed.  The common items to be kept are, melon seeds, sugared melon, coconut, lotus seeds, lotus root, candied kumquat, fried dumpling, sweets, nuts, etc.

Tags ,
Categories container, lacquer, pottery, wood

Tiger Squeak

01/19/2012 //
0

DIA50mm, China

Yes yes I know tigers dont squeak, they roar … This toy is in keeping with the Chinese fascination of tiger as a protector guardian of children and child’s tiger squeak…  This tiger is made out of 2 pieces of clay, a bit like an oreo cookie, however it is a thin leather or toughen paper that is sandwich in between.  A squeak is fixed in the bottom layer, by moving the 2 parts a squeak will be sound.  It is known as the leather tiger.  It happens in China all the air blower tools, from bellow to a camera len blower are all called the leather tiger, can this only be a coincident?  or would it be some tribute to this toy.  Sadly, this toy is not longer popular for today’s children and are quite hard to find.

Tags , , , , , ,
Categories clay, toy
« Older Entries
Newer Entries »