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Monday, 19 January 2009 16:20 |
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| Source of description: Straits Chinese Porcelain: A Collector’s Guide by Ho Wing Meng. Times Editions. 1983 (reprinted 2004). 144 pages. ISBN: 981-232-758-4. Source of photos: RASA RASA Malaysia. Click here for more The tree peony and phoenix
The tree peony (mu tan) symbolises spring time. According to Ho Wing Meng in his book, Straits Chinese Porcelain: A Collector's Guide: "It may be wondered why, of all the varied and innumerable symbols and naturalistic motifs available in traditional Chinese art, the baba-nyonyas chose this narrowly circumscribed theme of decoration for their most treasured porcelain wares. The answer for this is quite simple, once we realise that Straits Chinese porcelain, for as long as anyone can remember, was always intended for wedding ceremonies. Since a pair of phoenixes traditionally symbolised marriage and fertility, and the tree peony (mu tan) signified Springtime, it was only appropriate that the combination of the phoenix-and-peony design, and their associated symbols, should have been preferred for nyonya wares".
The knot
An angular endless knot, one of the pa chi hsiang or Eight Precious Buddhist symbols, on the rim of the bowl.
The lotus flower
A lotus flower, another one of the pa chi hsiang
The two fishes
Two fishes, another one of the pa chi hsiang
The miniature seashell
The miniature seashell, another one of the pa chi hsiang
Click through pictures for slideshow.
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