L270xW100xH30mm, China
The pattern for this cookie mould is that of a lotus plant.
The Buddhist believes that the lotus is the purest of plant, it shoot up from the muddy pond but yet it has the ability to keep any dirt from attaching.
Amongst the unique pottery, you will also find Mountain Folkcraft’s collection at the Cobo Ceramic Workshop X’mas Sale.
COBO CERAMIC WORKSHOP
1/F Fortune Court, 33 Morrison Hill Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong
5 – 9 Dec 2014 (Fri – Tue)
13:00-20:00
W110xH150mm, Hong Kong
One of a pair of cards for with the blessing “peace for the 4 seasons“.
Features boys each holding a potted plant, plum blossom, orchid, chrysanthemum and lotus, the four plants are known as the four season flowers, each representing a season.
Spring – orchid, Summer – lotus, Autumn – chrysanthemum, Winter – plum blossom
The “vase” 瓶 (ping) has the same pronunciation as “peace” 平 (ping); thus symbolizing peace all year round.
L310xW70xH20mm, China
Cookie moulds for 3 different cookies.
Happiness (喜), blessings (福), the lotus fruit.
You might wonder with the style of the cookies are so different, maybe the 2 on the left with the words are for the parents and the more graphical one for the child. All the 3 cookies are a symbol of blessing, the lotus fruit (蓮子) “lian zi” is wish for having many children, the word 蓮 “lian” sounds like 連 “consecutive” and the word 子 means sons.
Blessing cookies for the wedding with happy future and many children.
W120xD100xH480, Burma
This is a figurine of the Buddha with an alms bowl standing on a lotus flower.
In Theravada Buddhism, “pindacara” a daily alms collection of food “pindapata” is practiced by the monks (and nuns). The word for monk “bhikkhu” means one who lives on alms, while “pindapata” means dropping a lump. The monks would leave their monastery, in a group they walk barefooted in single file according to seniority, their robe formally arranged covering both shoulders. The route will go through the village house by house, accepting but never requesting food that is dropped into the bowls. This figurine, the Buddha, is leading figurine of a group which consists of monks of different heights which unfortunately is not with us.
Monks in Burma
the second film has a more in depth view of a monk’ life.
DIA130mm, China
The beautiful jade pendant has the theme of a carp swimming among the lotus, this theme is popular in Chinese painting. It is true that muddy lotus pool offer an ideal habitat for the carp fish and that it makes an interesting composition, the reason for this established theme lays in another reason. Like most Chinese decoration, it is an idea of blessing; the words lotus 蓮 (lian) and carp 鯉 (li) shares the same pronouncation with the words joined 連 (lian) and branches 理 (li). 連理 refers to two individual trees having their branches joined together (inosculation), a marriage, becoming one. A blessing for the marriage, an ideal X’mas present for the wife.
Something Old Something New
Collectible Jewellery Collection
DIA160xH60mm, China
The four season flowers, Narcissus, Lotus, Chrysanthemum, Plum Blossom, were a popular decoration for pottery and other works of art. They symbolizes a good fortune for all the four seasons.
Click to see the other four season flowers pottery ware.
The four seasons are appreciated all over the world, here is Mutter’s amazing performance on Vivaldi.
W60xL370mm, China
Tomorrow is the Duan Wu festival, the 5th day of lunar May, before Qu Yuan and the dragon boats came along it was a day for casting away the deadly famine. In ancient times when science and hygiene was poor, it is believed that lunar May is the month of toxin and the 5th is the day of evil and on this combination the day of death. To avoid ailment one is to be purified by bathing and resisted on meat, alcohol and sexual activities. A fragrant sachet would be worn by people all ages, the contents of the bag changes through time as hygiene improves and the taboo of the day of death becomes more remote, from the evil busting copper coins to the pesticide realgar powder, to the antiperspirant clam powder to medicinal fragrant herbs. From patchwork, the sachet was later decorated with embroidery; this particular on has on it a lotus and a lizard, lotus symbolizes togetherness with the lizard (one of the 5 poisonous creatures) offering it protection.
W120xL120mm, China
Calcite alabaster is known as commonly as the Han Jade as this type of white marble was used for fine architectural carving since the Han dynasty. This pair of alabaster plates would have been used as part of the utensils for serving tea outdoor. Carving on top of the plates are flowers of the 4 seasons; Narcissus, Lotus, Chrysanthemum, Plum Blossom.
On the other corners are verses taken from the draft letter from the calligrapher Yan Zhen Qing to corrupt general Guo Ying Yi in 764 AD. This draft letter is famous for the caoshu calligraphy and is learnt by younger calligraphers as the “争座位帖” (Zheng Zuo Wei Tie – The Struggle For a Seat). In this letter of criticism towards the general, the calligrapher concentrate more on his wording and thoughts rather than the calligraphy itself, however his emotion was naturally expressed in the strokes.
… 岂不以才为世出，功冠一时。挫思明跋扈之师，抗回纥无（？）之请，故得身凌烟之阁，名藏太室之庭，吁足畏也！然美则美矣，而终之始难。故曰：满而不溢，所以长守富也，高而不危，所以长守贵也，可不儆惧乎？！…
“故得身画凌烟之阁，名藏太室之廷”
Having a portrait at the hall of fame, the name recorded in palace
From the book of “Xiao Jing” (Classic of Filial Piety)
孝经 – “高而不危，所以长守贵也。
满而不溢，所以长守富也”
Dwelling on high but without peril, nobility can be preserved.
Being affluent but not wasteful, wealth can be preserved.
From the book of (Chinese Code of Success, a classic and not one of those self help book)
朱子治家格言 – “讀書志在聖賢，(非徒科第)；為官心存君國，(豈計身家)？”
To study with the aspiration to be a man of virtue (and not for official ranking).
An official ought to have the interests of the Emperor and the nation at heart (and not his own pocket).
DIA165mm, China
This is a necklace with a wood carving of a lotus pod. Like the real thing seeds are movable but cannot be taken out unless you break open the pod. These fresh lotus seeds were one of my favorite childhood snacks, what can be better than a soft package with refreshing sweet capsules. Sadly, they are not as easily found markets of Hong Kong anymore.
W200xL150mm, China
Wishing you a happy Chinese New Year this coming Sunday with this paper cutout.
This paper cutout is full of blessing symbolism,
Lotus Plant; 蓮 (Lian) is has a similar pronunciation as 年(Nian) which means yearly and as its fruit has many seeds it is a symbol of frequent fertility.
The Fish, 魚 (Yu), has the same pronunciation as the word “surplus” 餘.
The pattern is symmetrical, portraying 2 of each item, the Chinese believes the bad luck comes in singularity (odd) and good in double (even).
Lastly, the words in the middle is of course the famous Kung Kee Fat Choy!
The paper cutout are normally displayed on the windows of every household with different idea of blessing.
So here wishing you a year of surplus, fertility and many Fat Choy!
Mountain Folkcraft 