Archives for posts with tag: something old something new

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERADIA140mm, China

A combination of 3 different set of jade beads.

The inside chiain most transparant,
the middle of the form of a gourd,
the outer, the darkest and the most soild in form.

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Something Old Something New
Collectible Jewellery Collection

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERADIA65mm, China

A matching three fish bracelet to go with the three fish necklace featured in yesterday’s blog.

The bracelet is adjustable with the sliding knot.

Something Old Something New
Collectible Jewellery Collection

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERADIA130mm, China

For the Something Old Something New Collectible Jewellery is the necklace of the three fish, the dushan jade fish are hang on a hand woven Chinese knots necklace.

Three fish are seen as a sign of blessing, in the East Han dyansty, when bribery was a common affair, there was a just  officer named Yang Zhen.  Yang was in charged of the appointment of government official, unlike the others before him, he would only appoint those who has the ability and reject those who tried to bribe him.  One day, when Yang was at a low point in his life, he saw three fish jumping out of pond.  He feels that the gods has understood him and blessed him with the three fish and soon after he was promoted to be one of the three top officials.  The three fish became a symbol for the three top officials under only the emperor himself, in today’s terms they are the prime minister, the secretary of home affairs and the secretary of defense.

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Something Old Something New
Collectible Jewellery Collection

paper mache dolls

sitting W110xD140xH220mm, Hong Kong

Cute pairs of paper mache dolls inspired by the Ci Zhou kiln dolls.

They are the first in the series, stay tune for their transformation!

fan

DIA600mm, Hong Kong

心經  The Heart Sutra

bō rě bō luó mì duō xīn jīng
般若 波羅 蜜多心 經
guān zì zài pú sà, xíng shēn bō rěbō luó mì duō shí,zhào jiàn wǔ yùn jiē kōng
觀自在菩薩, 行深般若波羅蜜多時, 照見五蘊皆空,
dù yī qiē kǔ è 。 shè lì zǐ, sè bú yì kōng ,kōng bú yì sè,
度一 切苦 厄。舍利 子,色不 異空, 空不 異色,
sè jí shì kōng ,kōng jí shì sè。 shòu xiǎng xíng shí, yì fù rú shì
色即 是空, 空即 是色。受想 行識, 亦復 如是。
shè lì zǐ, shì zhū fǎ kōng xiāng, bù shēng bú miè, bú gòu bú jìng,
舍利子, 是諸法空相, 不生不滅, 不垢不淨,
bù zēng bù jiǎn, shì gù kōng zhōng wú sè, wú shòu xiǎng xíng shí, wú yǎn ěr
不增不減, 是故空中無色, 無受想行識, 無眼耳
bí shé shēn yì, wú sè shēng xiāng wèi chù fǎ, wú yǎn jiè, nǎi zhì wú yì shí jiè,
鼻舌身意, 無色聲香味觸法, 無眼界,乃至無意識界,
wú wú míng, yì wú wú míng jìn, nǎi zhì wú lǎo sǐ, yì wú lǎo sǐ jìn
無無明, 亦無無明盡, 乃至無老死,亦無老死盡。
wú kǔ jí miè dào, wú zhì yì wú dé,yǐ wú suǒ dé gù
無苦集滅道, 無智亦無得,以無所得故。
pú tí sà duǒ, yī bō rě bō luó mì duō gù, xīn wú guàài。 wú guà ài,
菩提薩埵,依般若波羅蜜多故,心無掛礙。無 掛礙,
gù wú yǒu kǒng bù, yuǎn lí diān dǎo mèng xiǎng, jiū jìng niè pán
故無有恐怖, 遠離顛倒夢想, 究竟涅槃。
sān shì zhū fó, yī bō rě bō luó mì duō gù, déā nòu duō luó sān miǎo sān pú tí
三世諸佛, 依般若波羅蜜多故, 得阿耨多羅三藐三菩提。
gù zhī bō rě bō luó mì duō, shì dà shén zhòu, shì dà míng zhòu
故知般若波羅蜜多, 是大神咒, 是大明咒,
shì wú shàng zhòu, shì wú děng děng zhòu。 néng chú yí qiè kǔ, zhēn shí bù xū
是 無上 咒, 是無 等等 咒。能除 一切 苦, 真實 不虛。
gù shuō bō rě bō luó mì duō zhòu。 jí shuō zhòu yuē
故 說般 若波 羅蜜 多咒。即說 咒曰:
jiē dì jiē dì,bō luó jiē dī,
揭 諦揭 諦, 波羅 揭諦,
bō luó sēng jiē dī, pú tí sá pó hē
波羅 僧揭 諦,菩提薩 婆訶。

The heart Sutra is about emptiness;  things exists only through our minds… Thoughts, ideas, names, concepts. Nothing really exists on their own sides.

Here is the Dalai Lama’s teaching on the Heart Sutra and the 37 Practices.

lotus leaf vessel

DIA320xH240mm, Hong Kong

Remember the antique lotus leaf lid that was featured in last winter’s blog?  I started a pottery project of making a vessel to match the lid, after several versions this is the final version which I am most happy with.  It is ideal for serving soup and of course lotus leaf rice.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAlotus lid

8 immortalsDIA165mm, China

The figurines on this necklace used to be the ornaments of a child’s hat.  A special hat would be made for the child’s birth, 100 days celebration and the first birthday.  The hat is seen as a blessing for the child, depending on the gender, family social status, the design of the hat varies.

The gold plated enamel ornaments would have belongs to a hat of a wealth family.  The 9 figurines are the 8 Immortals (one either side) + the god of Longevity (in the middle).  The 8 Immortals are; Iron-Crutch Tie Guai Li, Philosopher Han Xiang Zi, Elder Zhang Guo Lao, Lan Cai He, Immortal Woman He Zian Gu, Leader Lu Dong Bin, Han Zhong Li and Royal Uncle Cao Guo Jiu, they are Taoist saints who are not very powerful and have a few human frailties.  One of the many stories of the 8 Immortals is about their birthday wishes for the Queen Mother of the West and thus the appearance is associated with birthdays and blessings.

Here is a clip from the Xiang opera “8 Immortals birthday wishes for the Queen Mother of the West”

 Collectible Jewellery
Something Old Something New

jade hair piece

DIA165mm, China

 The pendent for this necklace is a jade head piece.

The idea of a head gear comb developed very early in China; the word “beauty” 美 came from a goat 羊 hat over a dancing man 大 (a man 人 with his hands extended).  The concept of head gear developed into a social etiquette,  a complete system was formed for ranking of officials, classes and for different occasions.  When a young noble male reaches the age of 20,  there will be a crowning ceremony, signifying the change from a boy to a man.

Some head pieces are secured on the hair bundle rather than as worn as a hat and this pendant is one of them.

COLLECTIBLE JEWELLERY
SOMETHING OLD SOMETHING NEW

silver brooch

W90xH70mm, Hong Kong

This smart silver brooch is made from an original kirin boy pendant, a blessing pendant for the child.  Legend had it that the kirin delivered the baby Confucius to  his parents; by putting on the figurine of the kirin boy, the parents hope that their child will also turn out to be as bright as the scholar Confucius.

SOMETHING OLD SOMETHING NEW
COLLECTIBLE JEWELLERY COLLECTION

Chilli

DIA165mm, China

SOMETHING OLD SOMETHING NEW
COLLECTIBLE JEWELLERY COLLECTION

This is a coral necklace, but dont they just look like red hot chilli?