DIA300xH330mm, China
Stock up enough alcohol for the holiday ahead?
This traditional Chinese wine jar would probably be large enough to last till 2014!
Instead of using a large cork, the jar would have been sealed with a strong paper which is secured by a string. Clay would be applied over the paper making it air tight. This is where the saying of breaking off the clay seal for describing the act of drinking comes from.
Please don’t drink and drive.
DIA120xH80mm, China
A plate for offering, like the bronze bowl featured earlier this week.
The random dotted pattern on the plate was not intention but marks left by plate stacked one over the other, over the glazed and all. The potter would have to knocked on the plates to release them as they would have been stuck together by the melted glaze. A crude way of doing pottery but yet giving a special feeling to the object.
DIA120xH150mm, China
This is our family teapot, though it might look very modern or even muji like, the form has been around since the late Qing dynasty.
My first association of a teapot was from a drawing, then the nursery rhyme. When I was old enough to go to restaurants that I met the first teapot in a tea house (the place where they serve Chinese tea and dim sum). It was a comical looking object, perfectly fitting to the first two descriptions I had learn, rounded short and stout. It was not until later when I was trusted to pour tea for myself that I realized it is impossible to maneuver this typical Chinese teapot. The design is appalling, the pot is short and long, the momentum pivoted from the handle made it heavy to hold, then the handle to small making your fingers scorch by the side of the pot. It is made worse by the dripping spout and the lid that keep falling off. If the Chinese love to drink tea then why would this become the standard teapot for tea houses and restaurants? Looking at the history of Chinese teapot where the form was influenced mainly by the development of tea brewing method, design of teapots were sophisticated and refine, it would seems that there is no place for an object like this to survive. My only guess is that it has been modeled after one of the miniature zi sha teapot, the special teapot where the fragrance of the tea is celebrated. Tea leave packed, brew for seconds with small amount of hot water which is completely drained out for consumption. The whole design evolve around the power of the smallness, scaling it up loses all its meaning whatsoever.
W180xD80xH360mm, China
(in the order from left to right – Fu Sau, Lu)
In my generation and those before, the blessing trio figurine could be seen at the focal point of all homes.
The three are a combination of all good blessings,
Fu – good fortune,
Lu – prosperity,
Sau – longevity
The three were originally concept of the astrology, stars.
Fu Star – the planet Jupiter
Lu Star – Ursa Majoris
Shu Star – Canopus
In the Ming dynasty the Taoist, attributed the Stars to persons or saintly figures and the three are grouped together to symbolize the idea of a good life ever since. Perhaps life has become less harsh or simply the flats are much smaller, Fu Lu Sau figurines are seldom seen in homes.
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.
DIA40xH35mm, China
This small pottery jar was a container for opium.
A cheap packaging of the opium den which would then be transferred to a more delicate bottle.
It is similar to today’s disposable plastic bag for pills.
W70xL70xH25mm, Hong Kong
This is a ceramic paper weight made in the shape of a moon cake.
Today is the 15th of lunar August, the middle of autumn when the moon is at its fullest. Since the Zhou dynasty people has started to worship and celebrate the moon on this night. Food, such as moon cake, water melon, apple, dates, plums and grapes will be offer to the moon on an alter together with candles. Today, for most people the moon festival is about the appreciation of the moon, a time for family reunion and of course a feast.
As people becomes more health conscious in recent years, the once a year of loaded sugar and cholesterol is too much for some, the sales of moon cake has started to decline. However, they have found another target customer – doggy mooncake, mooncake made especially for the man’s best friend. Looks like they have found spotted the right target!
W70xD50xH20mm, China
Continuing with the stationary items, this ceramic ware is a brush holder. A holder for the small brush, unlike the previous brush rests where they are lay horizontally, the brush here are inserted into the small holes and left standing. The small container is for keeping a bit of water in case the brush has gotten a bit dried. This kind of brush stand are usually used by the people who are writing all the time, e.g. the doctor, the pawn shop owner, the restaurant manager etc.
W50xL180xH50mm, China
Any guess of what this piece of bamboo is for?
You probably have one of those ergonomic mouse pad with a gel support at the wrist? Well, this is the traditional waist rest for Chinese calligraphy, not only does it support the arm, it also prevents the ink from rubbing onto the sleeves and the perspiration of the hand from making the paper moist. This member of the stationary is called a “Bi Ge”, arm rest. The name “Bi Ge” apparently came from the imperial chamber for secret books, also pronounced as “Bi Ge”.
Now for the second surprise, the material of this Bi Ge is not bamboo but ceramic!
DIA120xH50mm, China
This pair of octagonal bowls are decorated with goldfish, a traditional blessing symbol. Gold 金 (Jin) Fish 魚 (Yu), the word “fish” shares the same pronunciation with the word surplus 餘 (Yu). A lot of chinese decoration symbols follow the play of homophone, these might all be a bit superstitious and arbitrary but in the days of old rural China when life is hard, these kind of blessing is an expression hope for a better life. Even in today’s world, these kind of subtle tradition carries on e.g. in Hong Kong, an Empty 空(Hung) Residence 宅 (Zaak) would be call a Blessed 吉(Ji) Residence, as the word “emtpy” 空(Hung) has the same pronunciation as 兇 (Hung) – a murder house. Changing a word that make no sense to the original meaning just for the sake of avoiding a bad homophone.
Anyway, ain’t these goldfish the cutest?!
Mountain Folkcraft 