Archives for posts with tag: peach

Wood Block Print – Harmony

02/13/2015 //
0

File-8---DW-006-一團和氣W450xH680mm, China

On the top of the print is a hanging bat symbolizing the arrival of blessing.  The word upside down (倒) “dao” shares the same pronunciation as the word arrived (到) “dao”, while word bat (蝠) “fu” with the word blessing (福) “fu”.

Hanging on the mouth of the bat is a Buddha’s hand fruit, a symbol of happiness and a peach which symbolizes longevity.

This rounded figure is known as “yi tuan he qi” – Harmony, which is a blessing for oneself, the family, the country to the world at large.

The figure originally comes from the painting of the same title by the Ming emperor, Zhu Jian Shen, featuring the Maitreya in a lotus meditation pose.  On closer look, there are 2 scholars on either side smiling at each other with their knee touching.  The Maitreya embraces the 2 scholars with his head bend, revealing his bald head.  The 3, Buddhist, Taoist and Confucius are in harmony with each other.

一團和氣

Come to see the actual print and many others at the
New Year Print Exhibition

MOUNTAIN FOLKCRAFT
CHINESE WOOD BLOCK PRINT COLLECTION

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Categories event, painting / prints, paper

Baby’s Hat

07/22/2014 //
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hat

DIA150xH70mm, China

This is a hat for the new born baby, a blessing from the mother.

Three different fruits are embroidered on the top of the hat (click on the links for more stories about the symbolism);
Peach – symbolizes longevity,
Promegranate – symbolizes fertility,
Buddha’s Finger – symbolizes happiness.

Embroidered n the back flap are the symbols of;
the word “壽” – longevity,
卐 – “Swastika” – luck,
Double Bat – double blessing.

All the good thoughts from the mother to the child.

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Categories costume, embroidery, fabric

Festive Embroidery

02/07/2014 //
0

W1070xH1180mm, China

A wall hanger embroidery, use for festivities such as birthday for the elders or for new born babies.

The embroidery is full of well wishes;

Blossom of the Four Season Flowers – (Narcissus, Lotus, Chrysanthemum, Plum) representing good fortune all year round.
Dragon & Phoenix – (Dragon a concept of mammals, fish and reptiles while the phoenix of the birds) the combination of the dragon and the phoenix is the totality, the perfect match.
Kirin Delivery of a Baby Boy – (legend of how Confucius was born) and of course every parents would like to have a son as smart as Confucius.
Ru Yi and the Birthday Peach – (man on a horse was holding a scepter and a birthday peach).  The birthday peach representing longevity while the decorative scepter has the name of “as you wish”.

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Categories embroidery, fabric

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.

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Categories tools, wood

Wood Block Print – Birthday Print

07/03/2013 //
0

wood block printW600xL1750mm, China

This birthday print is filled with blessing symbols –

God of Longevity who is holding a cane on one hand and the Buddha’s hand fruit on the other hand.
The lady of behind is Ma Gu, the female God of Longevity with a basket full of magical plants.  Unlike the God of Longevity who has an appearance of an old man with a protruding forehead, Ma Gu is portrayed as a beautiful girl in her late teens.  In the legend, every year on the 3rd of lunar March, on the birthday of the Queen Mother of the West, Ma Gu will give her best wishes.
Lastly, the child saint carrying a basket full of longevity peaches, also a well known theme for birthday blessings.

Unlike the birthday scroll being a respectable birthday present for the elderly lady that would be held around birthday time, this is a Mian Zhu new year print that is pasted on the wall on Chinese New Year and to be replaced yearly.

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Categories painting / prints, paper

God of Longevity

02/18/2013 //
2

god of longevity W100xD80xH200mm, China

This is a figurine is that of the God of Longevity, he is holding a longevity peach that just one bite of it will make one immortal.

Click here to see the god of longevity’s relation with astronomy,
history and
his cane.

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Categories figurine, pottery

God of Longevity

08/23/2012 //
0

W200xD100xH250mm, China

Although the god of longevity originated from the stars, his large and elongated brain has nothing to do with the alien and the outer space.  The form of his head is associated with longevity, like that of  the mystical bird, the red crown crane (grus japonensis).  The red crown crane lives to 50-60 years old  which is consider to be very long when the average life span of birds are about 10-15 years.  Another association is queen mother god’s longevity peach which the plant only flower and bear once 3000 years.  Combining both of these longevity forms his head took on the exaggerated shape.

Click  to see our clay and stone version.

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Categories figurine, pottery

Ceramic Guo Mould

10/05/2011 //
2

Fish L200xW100mm, China

These ceramic moulds are for making Guo.  The guo is a Chaozhou dumplings made with a thin rice flour dough with fillings of different types vegetable, nuts or beans that can be savory or sweet.   Guo is made for Chinese New Year, all other festivals, harvests and all events in life (birth, adulthood, marriage, death).  Different guo are made for different events;  the red peach guo for new year, vegetable guo for spring and autumn festivals, rice plant guo for harvest.  The moulds are made of different patterns  for this purpose;  the turtle and the peach for birthday – represents longevity, the fish is synonymous with excess (to have more than enough), bat synonymous with blessing, etc.  These moulds can be of wood or ceramics.

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Categories pottery, tools
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