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.
DIA200xH230mm, China
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.
Click to see our other traditional lighting.
W550xH400mm, China
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.
W80xL160xH25mm, China
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.
Click to see our other cookie moulds and kirins.
W120xD120xH300mm, China
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.
DIA160xH200mm, China
Still looking for a hat for the Halloween?
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.
Click here to see the other tiger costumes.
W300xH250mm, China
A wood block print about the story of the child fighter Nezha.
Ne Zha was born after 3 and a half year, came out as a lump of flesh, the flesh sudden glows and inside came a little boy. His father, General Li, was rather worried at the unnatural birth until he was visited by a Taoist Saint, Tai Yi Zhen Ren, who gave the boy a golden ring at that can enlarge and contract by Ne Zha’s will (Qian Kun Quan) and a long ribbon that causes anxiety to the enemy (Hun Tain Ling).
Ne Zha lived in a Chentang Pass in the Shang dynasty, a time when people was sacrificing what they have for the rain. They made offering to Dragon King for a good supply of water for the crops. No matter how much food they offer, they receive no rain, the Dragon King instead demand for a boy and a girl as human sacrifice. One day, at the age of 7, Ne Zha was having a bath in the lake with his 2 friends. A sea guard was send to capture the children as offering, Ne Zha in order to save his friends defeated the guard. The Dragon King send his third son, Ao Bing, to match with Ne Zha and this is a scene taken from the fight
To find out who won and what happened to Ne Zha click here.
DIA60xH160mm, China
An old stone vase that would have been for the family shrine.
W250xH420mm, China
The two figures in this wood block print is the poet monks Han Shan and Shi Di. Han Shan and Shi Di are close friends, sharing ideas on poetry, zen teaching as well as literature. The 2 are known as the He He saints – for love, peace and harmony.
Shi Di (left) carried a stem of lotus “荷 – He” while Han Shan (right) has a rounded box “盒 – He”. The words 荷盒 “He He” has the same pronunciation as the words 和合 “He He” which has the meaning peaceful harmony.
At the wedding night, offering will be made by the bride and groom to the He He immortals for love, peace and harmony to be extended to the new family.
W170xD60xH130mm, China
“Child from the Saints” is a popular blessing subject in the Ming and Qing period, symbolizing blessing and fertility. The legend dated back to the late Han dynasty, when the Wei Emperor to be was a poor farmer. One spring, when he was working in the field, he saw a immaculate carriage landed from the sky, inside of the carriage was a beautiful lady. He put away his tools and went to greet the visitor, the lady told him she is send by the Jade Emperor to be his wife, the two got married on the day, the lady saint said she has to go back to heaven and would meet him again a year later at the same place. A year later, Wei arrived early to the field awaiting for his date, the magic carriage appeared, inside it was the lady saint together with a baby. She handed him the baby and said he was his son and he will be the Emperor.
Mountain Folkcraft 