Archives for posts with tag: festival

Peach Guo Mould

08/19/2013 //
2

cookie mouldW120xL230xD20mm, China

This is a wooden mould for making the famous red peach guo.  Guo is Chaozhou dumpling that is made for festivals as well as for everyday snacks.  The peach shaped guo reserved for festive days like the Chinese New Year, Dragon Boat Festival, Mid Autumn Festival, Winter Solstice, they are also made for the new born baby by the grandma on its hundred days’ celebration.

The peach shape symbolizes longevity, it is again emphasized by the word “壽” in the middle of the mould.

Here is the master mould carver working on a turtle shape guo mould.

Advertisement
Tags , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Categories tools, wood

Dragon Boat Festival

06/23/2012 //
1

W20xL150xH100mm, China

Today, lunar 5th May, is the Duan Wu Festival, better know as the Dragon Boat festival.  It is a day to commemorate the death of the Chinese hero Qu Yuan.  Qu Yuan was poet from the Warrings State Period,(278 BC), he was a close aid to the emperor helping the Chu Guo state becoming a strong state.  Being loyal to his country he refused to collaborate with the corrupted higher ranking officers and empress, for this they kept him away from the emperor.  Despite his advice and objection for a treaty with the Qin Guo state, the emperor was lured to visit the Qin, was held captive and died there .  When the son of the emperor took over Qu Yuan was sent into exile.  Qin attacked and conquered the Chu; Qu Yuan, heart broken that his country was lost committed suicide in the river Mi Luo Jiang.  Hearing the news the folks steer boats to rescue him but neither him nor his body could be found, fearing that the fish would eat away his body, they beat drums to scare the fish away and throw in dumplings to keep the hungry fish away.

Tags , , , , , , , , , ,
Categories figurine, pottery

Miao Woven Band

05/10/2012 //
0

W90xL1900mm, China

This hand woven band is the belt for the costume of the Miao tribe.  Just after lunar New Year is the Cai Hua Shan festival of the Miao tribe.  Different clans will come together to the common area between the different villages, a large pine or cypress tree will be selected as the “flower stem”.  Before dawn the person in charge, “head of the flower stem”, will take on the task of erecting the tree post and tying ribbons and flower on the top.  This job is done by commonly agreed most kind hearted person (with such a task, I am not surprised).  The day begins with the “head” tossing wine to everyone and giving them blessing; fire crackers, drums are played to signify the start of the festival, followed by days of dance, music and laughter.  It is also the chance for dating, the men will give a woven band to the lady he desire and in return the lady will give him a embroided handkerchief or headwrap.

Tags , , , , ,
Categories costume, fabric, tribal
%d bloggers like this: