The Chinese lung (龙 ) or dragon has been a mythological creature in Chinese culture since the 5th millennium BCE. Dragons symbolize benevolence, prosperity, good fortune, blessings, longevity and the renewal of life. They live in the watery depths in the autumn and ascend to the sky in spring to become the rain-bringing dragon producing bountiful moisture in control of rain, rivers, lakes, and seas. It is a divine creature bringing abundance, prosperity, and good fortune, and, unlike Western dragons, are considered beautiful, friendly, and lucky. The dragon is the ultimate symbol of the forces of Nature considered to be the greatest divine force on earth. Dragons unify heaven and earth as they live in the mountains or the sea, quench their thirst in the sea and fly to the sky. With auspicious powers including control over water, rain, floods, and the fertility of crops, they are the symbol the emperor and imperial strength with their five claws. Its placement on the emperor’s dragon robes against clouds symbolizes the ruler’s imperial and heavenly authority and his ability to provide for irrigation and agriculture, essential to the empire’s strength and stability. Two of the most powerful of the four celestial animals are the dragon who is “yang” and the phoenix who “yin”, who together create the yin-yang balance to create matrimonial bliss. A dragon paired with the phoenix is a metaphor for people of high virtue, talent and status. Dragon. pairs are often depicted in carvings, furniture and on textiles chasing a flaming pearl thought to represent wisdom, energy, power and the moon. As a display of high status, the arms of chairs or thrones are ended with dragons or open-mouthed dragons holding pearls. The dragon’s popularity is so immense it is used ubiquitously as an important decorative and symbolic motif bringing good fortune to all. Matsu as Empress of Heaven is often shown seated in a dragon throne.
Showing all 6 results
Mazu has many names and titles. In China she is Mazu (Matsu) meaning ‘Ancestor Mother’ or ‘Eternal Mother’ and on southern China she is affectionately called ‘Ā-mā’ meaning ‘grandmother’ or ‘mother.’ In Taiwan she is ‘Holy Heavenly Mother’ and the ‘Empress of the Heavens’ and ‘Tianhou,’ Daughter of the Dragon. She is the most worshiped female Taoist…
Mazu represents different ideologies among two distinct Chinese economic groups: the masses of devotees who adore her in oral traditions as the humble provincial deity “Goddess of the Sea” versus the imperial followers who revere her in written tradition as the sanctioned “Empress of Heaven.” Two centuries after her death she was imperially sanctified, transforming…
Mazu has been one of the most popular Taoist-deities in southeastern coastal China since the early Song dynasty, a syncretic goddess revered by followers of Buddhism and Popular Religion and one of the Great Chinese Goddesses (Irvin). Mazu was a legendary young female shaman named Lin Mo who used her powers to save seafarers and…
Initially linked to the Big Dipper in Chinese mythology, Wen Chang is worshipped in the 3rd and 8th months as the God of several spheres: Literature, Books and Writing, Education, Learning and Examinations and is the patron saint of scholars. As one of the revered Taoist-deities, hero and one of the house-gods closely associated with…
This antique hard wood mold was hung it in a kitchen, the center of activity of the Chinese home. Virtually all homes had a confection-mold to prepare sweetmeats made by placing pastry dough with various fillings in the mold and turning it over on a sheet to be baked. Many were used to make mooncakes…
Chinese belt hooks were worn with the hook end on the wearer’s left and fastened to clothing with a button like bronze piece fixed to the belt’s end. Initially only functional, metalwork belt hooks became a symbol of wealth, high status and power by the Han Dynasty. They were made using a variety of materials…
End of content
End of content