Archives for posts with tag: suan ni

Chi Wen – The Roof Hip Monster

03/31/2014 //
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roof lion roof lionL230xW80xH230mm, China

This little monster is the son of the dragon, his name is Suan Ni.  He loves smokes and incense and normally found on the incense burner, as he also loves sitting around Suan Ni is one of the monsters that resides on the roof.  Unlike his brother Chi Wen who loves looking a far and occupies the two ends of the main ridge, Suan Ni sits with the other 4 monsters on the hip of the roof.

The Phoenix Riding Saint – the brother in law of Jiang Zi Ya, who is always nagging Jiang for a promotion in his sainthood.  Jiang, in charge of the appointment of saints put him at the end of the ridge, meaning that anything higher will cause him to fall off the roof.


Followed by the 5 roof hip monsters;

Pheonix – a mythical creature, the queen of all birds.
Suan Ni – the on of dragon who sit around and loves smokes and incense.
Xia Yu – a sea monster, together with Suan Ni, they can control the weather and protect the building.
Xie Zhi – part eagle part leopard, eating all the bad guys, a symbol of justice.
Dou Niu – a type of dragon, able to control the rain.

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Categories figurine, furniture / architecture, metal

Suan Ni Incense Burner

02/27/2014 //
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metal lionsW90xL200xH180, China

A pair of suan ni, with smoke coming out of their mouths!

Like the Tao Tie, Suan Ni is one of the sons of the dragon (the 8th son).  Unlike the Tao Tie who adores food, the Suan Ni is a patient creature that loves the smoke from the incense.  He can be found on the large incense burners and also as a carrier for the Bodhisattva Manjusri.

These Suan Ni are a pair of incense burners, flip open the head, place the incense, light it, flip the head back and enjoy their smokey conversations.

metal lion

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Categories figurine, metal, tools

Black Glazed Lion

06/28/2013 //
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kirin

W100xD50xH100mm, China

Chinese figurine of the lion are more often friendly and friendly rather then fierce, this might be because there are no lions originated from China.  The image of lion was brought to China by word of mouth from traders of the Western Region, as a tribute from Persia to the Emperor and as the symbolic “suan ni” from the Buddhist culture.  The worship of lion is thus mainly as a mystic protection of evil rather than the fierce forceful animal.

Black glaze pottery was first developed in China as early as the Jin dynasty (400 A.D.), it was a popular glazing in the Tong and Sung dynasty and further refined in the Qing dynasty.

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Categories figurine, pottery

Bodhisattva Manjusri on Lion

06/13/2013 //
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Bodhisattva Manjusri on Lion

L460xD180xH650mm, China

This antique lacquer figurine is that of the Bodhisattva Manjusri (文殊菩薩).  Bodhisattva Manjusri and Maitreya are the often depicted with the Gautama Buddha with Manjusri on the left and Maitreya on his right, representing wisdom and teaching receptively.

Mantra of Manjushri

The creature Bodhisattva Manjusri is riding is a green lion (suan ni), the 8th son of the dragon.  He adores the incense and sitting so you will also be able to find him as a decoration for the feet of the incense burner.

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Categories figurine, lacquer, wood
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