W100xL120xH140mm, China
As the clay toys of Nie Jia Zhuang was selected as the Chinese Intangible Cultural Heritage, it also signified that it is a dyeing art which is in need of protection. The making of clay toys in the area dated back to the Ming dynasty, folk song was sung about these colour clay toys. Up to the 80s, they were ever so popular, every kid would own one.
This roaring tiger, has a leather waist which forms as a bellow to the squeak inside the front half of the body.
W200xD150xH270mm, China
A delicate figurine of two pica pica (magpie) on a blossoming plum tree. The subject, a symbol of blessing, is often seen in painting, pottery and carvings; for the Chinese, the pica pica is bird of luck while the plum tree signified happiness, joy, peace, longevity and success. Here is a story about this lucky bird, in the Tong dynasty there was a man named Li Jing Yi. Outside Li’s house there was a pica pica nest on a tree, everyday he would feed the bird, after a while the bounding between the bird and Li grew. One day, out of the blue Li was arrested for a crime he did not commit, when he was most helpless in jail the pica pica came visited him and sang at the window for a long time. His was relieved by the bird’s visit and 3 days later, the good news about his release came. It is believed the bird can transformed as a imperial guard with the notice for his release. Since then, the pica pica is associated with the bearer of good news.
W250xD80xH220mm, Tibet
The Garuda is a mystical bird who appears in both Hindu and Buddhist mythologies. An ancient symbol of the Hindu sun, Garuda is the vehicle of the god Vishnu and his wife. He has the golden body of a man, white face with an eagle’s beak,a pair of red wings, two horns, a crown on his head and eats naga (snakes) for a meal. In Buddhism, he is the vehicle of Vajrapani and the symbol of the transcendent Buddha Amoghasiddhi. In Tibetan Buddhism, Garuda fuses with the mythical Himalayan Khyung bird of fire and became a god both for Bon (ancient Tibetan religion) and Tibetan Buddism.
In the Tibetan legend, Garuda stole a jewel from Naga king of Mount Meru, he carefully swallow the jewel and later vomited out. (The jewel is on the crown of this figurine). It seems no coincident the Tibetan rememdy for snake bite is the vomit of the eagle.
ASIAN FOLKCRAFT COLLECTION
SOIL X MOUNTAIN FOLKCRAFT
W130xD70xH400mm, Thailand
Tomorrow is the 2557th birthday of the Buddha, Vesakh, a holy day that commensurate the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha by Buddhist all over the world. The date of the celebration differ slightly throughout the different countries, 8th of lunar April, in Thailand for example, Vesakh is on the 24th May.
On this special day, the devoted Buddhist will observe the 8 Precepts:
If you happen to be in Hong Kong, join in the celebration.
ASIAN FOLKCRAFT COLLECTION
SOIL X MOUNTAIN FOLKCRAFT
W60xL140xH90mm, Japan
Though tiger is not native to Japan, its worship has started before the first tiger was imported from Korea some 400 years ago. The figure was generated from painting, tales and imagination, it is believe that the tiger is a symbol of strength and health. This is a paper mache tiger with a noddy head.
Here is a collection of the paper mache tiger wood block print by Shirayanagi Eiichi (http://www7b.biglobe.ne.jp/~kokakuro/essay/110619shiroyanagi/toratoratora.htm to see the complete description)
W180xD150xH250mm, China
This is an iron figurine of the Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha (Dayuan Dizang Pusa). Bohisattva Ksitgarbha is one of the four bodhisattvas of Mahayana Buddhism along with Samantabhadra, Manjusri and Avalokitesvara. Between the period of the death of Gautama Buddha and the rise of Maitreya Buddha, Ksitgarbha is responsible for the enlightenment of all the beings in the six worlds. He vowed not attain buddhahood until the hell is empty of all beings.
In this figurine Bodhisattva Ksitigarbha is holding a cintamani, a wish filling jewel, which came from the palace of the sea dragon. The cintamani has a capacity of relieve suffering and illness, a symbol of virtue of the Buddha.
W100xD100xH250mm, Thailand
This is a old Thai monk figurine with folded palms, namaskara mudra. His palms are placed together at the level of the heart where in India is a traditional gesture of salutation and adoration, one of the oldest Indian mudras, a greeting expressed in the form of a prayer coming from one’s heart.
W500xL450xH500mm, Philippines
This is the mystical chicken from Mindanao of the Philippines, a predominantly Muslim island in the south. In Islamic legend, the prophet Mudammed found a bird in the first of the 7 heaven, the bird is so large that its crest touches the second heaven. Its crow would arouse all creatures except humans and judgement day would arrive when the crowing stop.
The word “sari” means colour / garment, “manok” means chicken. This is expressed clearly in the sculpture which is a symbol of blessing.
The Maranao believes Sarimanok is a totem bird called Itotoro which has a twin bird called Inikadowa. Inikadowa is a spirit bird that is unseen and through Itotoro as a medium, one can access the spirit world.
H100xW70xD50mm, China
This beautiful figurine of the Guan Yin has unfortunately got his face distorted. We suspected the damage was done during the cultural revolution when all artworks, intellectual works, religion was ordered to be destroyed. From the denting, one can see that perhaps the person ordered to destroy the figurine does not have the heart to do it, despite the hammering the face is still vivid and the garments still carries its form despite being removed from the lotus throne.
L160xW90xH60mm, Indonesia
Great imagination to take a piece of wood rose and made it into a broody hen!
The wood rose is an unique material, it is actually the gall developed by the tree who has been parasites by mistletoe. Mistletoe, apart from the kissing part, is actually a parasite which cost great damages to trees that they host on. The wood rose is the masses of woody tissue the tree tried to defend itself from the mistletoe and the mistletoe on the other hand leaves mushroom like malformation on the wood.
Mountain Folkcraft 