The specialists guide to Chinese antiques. » Symbolism, Patterns & Motifs

So just what is “chinoiserie” anyways?

Roger — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 05:06:57 +0000

While trolling around on the net, I came across this very nice blog post from Posh Living which does a wonderful job of explaining what chinoiserie is which is. A main staple amoung designers, chinoiserie design elements in a room are timeless and sophisticated. Since we have talked in the past about how chinoiserie screens are made, their post is a nice addition providing some historical background and is well worth the read.

“What most people don’t realize about Chinoiserie is that the style doesn’t come from China at all. As trade spread around the globe and Europe’s economy matured, more people could afford decorative goods. To keep up with demand for more ornate works, artisans created designs that were pure fantasy. Reading descriptions of Chinese scenes, European designers created their own versions. Often they are whimsical and even silly, and that makes them even more appealing.

“CHINOISERIE is a French word that means “in the Chinese taste”. It describes a European style of decorative ornament that was wildly popular in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and still looks great today.”

Why Chinoiserie at all? Europeans’ fascination with the Far East began in Marco Polo’s day, in the thirteenth century. At a time when few people traveled the world, exotic goods such as silk fabrics, carpets and porcelain reached Europe via a trading route known as the Silk Road, which carried goods by cart and camel across the entire continent of Asia.

For wealthy Europeans, owning artifacts from the Far East was a status symbol. With these artifacts came stories from the traders of the amazing temples and pagodas they had seen and the strange costumes and appearance of the Oriental people. Cultures from Persia all the way to China were called “Oriental” by the Europeans. They made little effort to distinguish one people from another, and the fanciful designs of Chinoiserie often blend Chinese, Japanese and Persian or Indian elements.”

Have a read of the full post here to learn more:

http://poshsurfside.com/what-is-chinoiserie

and when finished, the wikipedia page on chinoiserie provides some additional background:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinoiserie

This content comes from The specialists guide to Chinese antiques. located at http://www.antique-chinese-furniture.com/blog/ For more articles please visit The specialists guide to Chinese antiques. - A unique insiders peek at the world of Chinese antiques & reproductions, Asian culture, exotic decor and oriental-inspired design from the far east. Everything you ever wanted to know!

Glossary of Chinese Symbolism and meanings

Roger — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 04:11:30 +0000

Here is a nice article I came across on Chinese Symbols on antique-marks.com which is worth posting here. Thanks to them for compiling such a comprehensive list. The original can be found here under “Glossary of Chinese Symbols.”

Glossary of Chinese Symbols – and images found on antique Chinese furniture and other artifacts.

The Chinese Symbols list is not exhaustive but we will add to it as time goes by. The descriptions detailed are only intended to be relevant to how the word or term relates to decoration on Chinese furniture and other Chinese antiques.

Chinese Symbols Gods … The Stellar Triad

Fu is pictured as a retired scholar or official holding flowers or carrying a basket of flowers, frequently carrying a ruyi (wish granting wand) or a baby boy. He symbolizes good fortune.

Lu is emblematic of rank and the wealth achieved through rank, is richly dressed, wears an official’s green robe and cap with flaps. Lu sometimes holds a ceremonial tablet; deer (symbolic of emolument) are often pictured on his robes. He symbolizes continuing wealth enhancement in sharp contrast with Caishen –while a wealth god as well, Caishen favors wealth through lucky chances.

Shou represents longevity. He is pictured with a long white beard and mustache elongated earlobes, and a large protruding forehead with 3 wrinkles and a bald head. Shou carries the peach of immortality. Shou is often shown by a young boy (posterity). Shou frequently carries a staff and holds a bottle gourd which holds the beverage of immortality.

Xi is the God of joy and is sometimes pictured with the Stellar Triad.

Baxian (The Eight Immortals) when shown together represent longevity and the breadth of all Chinese people, rich or poor, old and young, scholars, soldiers, the sick and the well. They have a great variety of powers.

Chinese Symbols Gods … The Eight Immortals

Zhong Liquan (also known as Han Zhongli) is pictured as a man with a bare belly, coiled hair on both sides of his head, and a very long beard. His symbols are a fan of feathers or a peach of immortality. Capacities include raising the dead, hiding the sun and the moon.

Li Tieguai is pictured as a crippled beggar with protruding eyes, clutching a crutch. His symbols are a gourd containing magic herbs or an elixir made from the peaches of immortality from which a bat is escaping. Capabilities include sympathy with those who are deformed or crippled as well as those suffering chronic pain..

Lan Caihe is sexually undetermined. Sometimes a little boy, sometimes she is female or hermaphrodite. Her symbols are a basket of fruit or flowers. Her capacities are to make fun of the little annoyances and stupidities of the world.

Hexiangu is the only woman of the eight. Her symbols are a lotus stem, a long kitchen ladle, or a ruyi. Her capacities are to resolve domestic disputes, and generally help in household management.

Cao Guojiu is an aristocrat in elegant court clothes. His symbols are a fly whisk or a pair of clappers or castanets. His capacities include blessing performance.

Lu Dongbin is a man with a two-edged sword hanging from his back and a horse hair switch in his hand. His capacities include eliminating greed, lust and sorrow from people’s lives.

Zhang Guolao is a very old, celibate recluse. His symbol is a musical instrument consisting of a bamboo tube struck by two rods. His capacities include raising the dead.

Han Xiangzi is a good looking, vigorous youth. His symbol is a jade flute. His capacities include blessing fortune tellers and encouraging flowers to grow.

Caishen is a wealth God with a winged cap. He is usually pictured carrying a ruyi (wish granting wand). Caishen generates wealth through windfalls, gambling etc. He is more the God of wealth through luck and Lu is the God of wealth through official position.

Menshen is a gate god, a mythical war like ferocious creature whose images frequently were posted on external doors to repel evil spirits.

Zaojun is the stove god in charge of the household.

Chinese Animal symbols and their meanings …

A Bat is a Chinese symbol of Fu or good luck. Frequently five bats are used together to represent the five elements of Fu–longevity, wealth, health, living a virtuous life, and natural death in old age. The bat may be so stylized that it is mistaken for a butterfly.

Qilin is a mythical creature said to produce sons for childless couples. Frequently the qilin is being ridden by young boy carrying a lotus and a reed pipe.

A Fu Dog is a mythical creature who provided protection to house and family. A fu dog has the body of a dog and the head of lion.

A Rabbit is associated with longevity, and is usually pictured on its hind legs under the cassia tree mixing the elixir of immortality on the moon

A Monkey is a symbol of the immortality of the human spirit despite hardships and frailties. He is also the one who ‘gets away with everything.’

A Turtle (or tortoise) is also a sign of immortality, one who supports the whole earth. The outer shell represents the heaven, its flat belly a flat earth.

A Phoenix is beauty and a yin quality. A pair of phoenix means happiness and is associated with buried treasure. When pictured with a dragon, the two together represent the union of man and a woman.

The Dragon in Chinese Symbols is power, royalty and a yang symbol.

When pictured with a phoenix they represent the union of a man and woman. By itself, the dragon also represents protection.

An Elephant is wisdom and change.

A Carp epitomize the struggle to pass examinations and achieves affluence as a result. A single carp symbolizes patience and steadfastness.

Fish Scales equate with success.

A Gold Fish represent riches. When shown with a lotus, they means lavish riches- e.g. gold and jade together.

Pair of Fish denotes marital bliss.

Flying Geese also means marital bliss.

Magpies also signifies marital bliss.

Mandarin Ducks are another symbol of marital bliss.

Cranes represent longevity, wisdom, and the father-son relationship.

Deer Chinese symbols symbolize longevity or official wealth.

A Lion is a sign of power and protection.

A Butterfly represent longevity.

Cats also represent longevity.

A Horse is equated with success.

A Horse with a Monkey on its Back is a sign of official success.

Chinese Symbols representing Fruit, Flower and Vegetables and their meanings.

Bamboo is longevity.

A Pine is also longevity.

A Cypress is another symbol for longevity.

A Mushroom (or fungus) is yet another representation of longevity.

Peaches in its various forms of peach wood, peach branches, peach blossoms, peach tree all represent longevity.

A Plum Blossom is a symbol of longevity or winter.

A Chrysanthemum is a sign of longevity or endurance.

A Willow shows spring or gentleness.

A Pomegranate is a symbol of fertility.

A Peony represents success and wealth.

A Lotus stands for uprightness, endurance, or progeny.

Flowers show wealth.

A Single Peach is used for beauty or joy.

An Osmanthus Blossom is for something precious.

Other Chinese Symbols and meanings …

Wan is a symbol of immortality or very long life.

A Vase represents peace. The vase is often pictured with the elephants suggesting “wisdom and peace.”

Water Ripples are a symbol of wealth.

Clouds show wisdom and heavenly blessing.

Gold Pieces stand for wealth.

Coins represent wealth. Conjoined coins suggest double happiness.

A Gourd-Shaped Bottle is a sign of the capture of spirits.

A Fan stands for goodness.

A Flute demonstrates disappearing.

A Goose is a symbol of marital bliss.

A Hill is a symbol of backing.

Jade is a sign of purity.

A Square shows the earth or stability.

Taiji is a sign of the perfect balance of yin and yang.

A Triangle is a sign of instability.

Water is a sign of wealth or source of breath.

A Ruyi is a magic wand used to deliver what ever one wishes.

Eight Trigrams (ba gua) are a charm disliked by evil spirits.

Rocks are a symbol of longevity.

Red means happiness.

Green is for riches.

Blue is for things that are heavenly.

Yellow denotes royalty.

Black is a sign of solemnity.

Arrows, Swords, Axes, Mirrors and Scissors are all symbols to wand off evil, and are frequently found on external-facing doors.

A Scroll is a symbol of knowledge.

A Book is also a sign of knowledge.

A Paint Brush is yet another symbol of knowledge.

A Lantern is used to show happiness.

A Knotted Cord is a sign of longevity.

Fu is a important concept of good fortune composed of five elements:

Health
Wealth
Longevity
Love of virtue
Natural death at an old age

Double Happiness is the symbol for both Fu (wealth) and Shou (longevity) used together.

Chinese New Year & Spring Festival 2008

Frederic — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 16:25:28 +0000

Year of the Pig ends and year of the Rat begins on febraury 7^th 2008 till January 26^th 2009

“Springfestival” or “Chinese Newyear” is nowadays well known in the West as well, though only experiencing it yourself will show you how important it is for the Chinese. The impact is huge, surely with the role China is playing in world trade nowadays. During 3 to 4 weeks 80% of the country is on holiday, so the buyers in the West prepare/plan ahead!

A definition :

Chinese New Year or Spring Festival (simplified Chinese: 春节; pinyin: Chūnjié), or the Lunar New Year (simplified Chinese: 农历新年; pinyin: Nónglì xīnnián), is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays and an important holiday in East Asia (and celebrated largely by overseas Chinese). The festival traditionally begins on the first day of the first lunar month in the Chinese calendar and ends on the 15th; this day is called the Lantern festival (simplified Chinese: 元宵节; pinyin: yuánxiāojié).Chinese New Year’s Eve is known as Chúxī (除夕). Chu literally means “change” and xi means “Eve”.Lunar calendar :The lunisolar Chinese calendar determines Chinese New Year dates : starts on the first day of the new year containing a new moon, ends on the Lantern Festival fourteen days later. (each lunation is about 29.53 days).
In the Gregorian calendar, Chinese New Year falls on different dates each year, a date between January 21 and February 20.What happens :The period around Chinese New Year is also the time of the largest human migration, when migrant workers in China, as well as overseas Chinese around the world travel home to have reunion dinners with their families on Chinese New Year’s eve. More interurban trips are taken in mainland China in this 40-day period than the total population of China.No need to say how long the lines are to buy a ticket for public transport … IF you even manage to buy one.What else happens :

Very important is that Chinese should SPEND money during this period! Everyone is supposed to buy a whole new set of clothes. Often they buy new furniture or household appliances. It is also a time of year that shops have sales, just like the winter sales period in the West. A interesting article and some statistic of the impact on the economy, you can read here : http://china.org.cn/english/2006/Jan/156662.htm
The biggest event of any Chinese New Year’s Eve is the dinner every family will have. A dish consisting of fish will appear on the. (leaving some for the next day will bring abundancy of food for the new year).
In northern China, it is also customary to have dumplings for this dinner. Dumplings symbolize wealth because their shape is like a Chinese gold nugget.
Mandarin oranges are the most popular and most abundant fruit during Chinese New Year.
Fireworks and firecrackers are lighted as to evict bad spirits from the premises.
There are rituals of what has to happen each day of the first two weeks of the new year. For example: the first day of Chinese New Year is a time when families visit the oldest and most senior members of their extended family, usually their parents, grandparents or great-grandparents.
On the days before the New Year celebration Chinese families give their home a thorough cleaning. It is believed the cleaning sweeps away the bad luck of the preceding year and makes their homes ready for good luck. Brooms and dust pans are put away on the first day so that luck cannot be swept away. Some people give their homes, doors and window-panes a new coat of red paint.
People also give red packets containing cash (Ya Sui Qian, which was evolved, literally: the money used to suppress evil spirit) to junior members of the family, mostly children.

Items and symbols :

Red Lanterns
These lanterns differ from those of Mid Autumn Festival in general. They will be red in color and tend to be oval in shape. These are the traditional Chinese paper lanterns. Those lanterns, used on the fifteenth day of the Chinese New Year for the Lantern Festival, are bright, colourful, and in many different sizes and shapes.
Decorations
They generally convey a New Year greeting. Chinese calligraphy posters show Chinese idioms.
Couplets
Eight is considered a lucky number in Chinese tradition, so Chinese couplets usually consists of two lines of four characters each, often written from top to bottom to add formality.
Red Chinese knots

Are a decorative handicraft arts that began as a form of Chinese folk art in the Tang and Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD) in China.
Yuanbao ingots
The gold yuanbao symbolizes money and/or wealth. Yuanbao shaped ingots were the standard medium of exchange in ancient China.
Papercutting
Chinese paper cutting is a unique artform and has existed for thousands of years with a long history featuring both national and regional themes.
In the rural countryside in mainland China, papercutting is a traditionally female activity. In the past, every girl was expected to master it and brides were often judged by their skill. Professional papercutting artists are, on the other hand, usually male and have guaranteed incomes and work together in workshops.

Greetings (the 2 most common)The Chinese New Year is often accompanied by loud, enthusiastic greetings, often referred to as 吉祥話 (Jíxiánghùa), or loosely translated as auspicious words or phrases.

“Happy New Year”
simplified Chinese: 新年快乐; pinyin: Xīnnián kuàilè;
or : : 过年好; traditional Chinese: 過年好; pinyin: Guo Nian Hao
“Congratulations and be prosperous”
Kung Hei Fat Choi ( Hong Kong )
simplified Chinese: 恭喜发财; traditional Chinese: 恭喜發財; pinyin: Gōngxǐ fācái
The saying is now commonly heard in English speaking communities for greetings during Chinese New Year in parts of the.

And to end this article with, a few, sometimes funny, examples of Chinese Superstitions during the New Year period:• Opening windows and/or doors is considered to bring in the good luck of the new year.• Switching on the lights for the night is considered good luck to ’scare away’ ghosts and spirits of misfortune that may compromise the luck and fortune of the new year.• Sweets are eaten to ensure the consumer a “sweet” year.• It is important to have the house completely clean from top to bottom before New Year’s Day for good luck in the coming year. • Some believe that what happens on the first day of the new year reflects the rest of the year to come. Asians will often gamble at the beginning of the year, hoping to get luck and prosperity.• Wearing a new pair of slippers that is bought before the new year, because it means to step on the people who gossip about you.• The night before the new year, bathe yourself in pomelo leaves and some say that you will be healthy for the rest of the new year.[edit] Bad luck• Washing your hair is also considered to be washing away one’s own luck (although modern hygienic concerns take precedence over this tradition)• Sweeping the floor is usually forbidden on the first day, as it will sweep away the good fortune and luck for the new year.• Avoid clothes in black and white, as black is a symbol of bad luck, and white is a traditional funeral color.