Archives for posts with tag: wealth

Wood Block Print – The 5 Blessings

03/02/2015 //
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W400 X H280mm, China

The phrase 五福同堂 (5 Blessings within the Family) is a common Chinese well wishes.  Do you know that the 5 blessings are?

The 5 blessings are;
– longevity
– wealth
– health
– humanity
– a dignify death

As the word “blessing” 福 has the same sound as the word “bat” 蝠.  One could often found bats as a decorative elements and most of the time, 5 of them.

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

Wood Block Print – Fu Shou Xi

02/24/2015 //
0

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W370 X H650mm, China

The recent generations of the Chinese are familiar with the Gods – Fu Lu Shou, the trio that stood in the prime location of the living room almost like an alter piece.  Its only recently that I discovered that they are no a trio but a group of five!  Nowadays rarely seen together, the five are made up of Fu, Lu, Shou, Xi and Cai.

Fu – God of Blessing – dressed in red robe holding large “ru yi” scepter
Lu – God of Fortune – holding a decree from the Emperor
Shou – God of Longevity – old man holding cane and peach
Xi – God of Happiness – holding a kid
Cai – God of Wealth – holding golden ingot

In this print, the trio are Fu in the middle with Shou on the right and Xi on the left.

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

New Year Paper Cutout Decoration

02/06/2013 //
0

New Year Paper Cutout Decoration

W240xL380mm, China

This door hanger paper cutout is called Diao Qian Er, a blessing for household for the new year.  They would be place on the lintel on “Spring Arrival” day ( last Monday, the 4th of  Feb) and be taken down on, 24th Feb, the night of Yuan Xiao.  It is believed that if if is not taken down on Yuan Xiao, the sleepy worm would stay with the household for the year.  In rural China,  the farmers who have no Sunday or Public Holiday, Chinese New Year is the only time they would allow themselves to take a break from work and rest.  Taking off the Dio Qian Er would signify the end of the New Year celebration.

On this paper cutout; there is the word “合家歡樂”, happiness for the whole family, on a backdrop of  卍 Man Ji Wan which is a symbol for essence of goodness.  Below are symbols of coins, symbolizing wealth.

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Categories paper

Golden Wood Carving – Carp

09/06/2012 //
1

 

W130xH70xD30, China

The carp fish is a blessing symbol for the Chinese, there are many legends regarding the carp fish and here is one of them:
Once upon a time there is an orphan named Ji Qing, without a family he made his living as a boat tracker on the Chuan Jiang River.  Life was hard but he lived his days joyfully, being a good swimmer he is able to retrieve any objects his passenger accidentally dropped into the ocean.  Diving deep into the water he had a special bond with the carp fish, even if he is hungry he will not harm them, his friend made fun of him and called him silly Qing.  One day when he was tidying up the tow string, he saw a beautiful golden carp but at the same time a water snake was about to make it his dinner.  Ji Qing threw the string on the water snake and saved the golden carp, he took the injured carp to his hut and nursed it for days.  One evening exhausted from a day’s water he rushed home to see the carp but it was no where to be found.  Oddly on the table was 4 gold bars and there carved the words, “I have jumped to the sky and swam to the reef but failed to be a dragon (it is believe that if a carp can jump over the mountain it will turn into a dragon), here I am to give wealth to Ji Qing.

Would this be the golden carp?

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Categories figurine, lacquer, wood

New Year Paper Cutout Decoration

01/21/2012 //
0

W280xH550mm, China

This Chinese New Year decoration is called the Diao Qian Er; a tradition that has been around since the Sung dynasty, a red paper cutout that will be hung on the lintel of the door.  Commonly, 3 pieces will be hanging on the lintel, 5 on the front door and on the window.  They are to be handle with care, if any is damaged before the 5th day of Chinese New Year, it will forecast a year of bad luck.  The legend of these lintel hanger goes like this; Jiang Zi Ya was made in charge of appointment of all the gods, when his wife found out he has this duty she wanted a title too.  Unfortunately, by then all the titles have been taken up, so Jiang made a title up and appointed her the god of  poverty.  Then he thought it is bad item, if the god of poverty entered the house of the poor, they will be more worse off and this is no job for any god, so he add on a small condition “the god of poverty shall not enter if the house is torn, she shall only enter those with wealth.”  People found out and decided to trick the god, torn piece of paper are stuck on the door and window, later these piece of paper became the Diao Qian Er.  This cutout has the pattern of coins, horses bring in gold and a happy household.

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Categories paper
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