There was a constant expectation in China newly married couples must produce sons soon after they married to uphold cultural imperatives which Bartholomew (p.58) writes to “…perpetuate the family name and to continue to worship ancestors. To have no such descendant is considered the greatest sin against filial piety. In ancient China, a man would have a good excuse to bring in a concubine if his wife was proven to be barren.” So, a woman’s marriage bed was sprinkled with nuts, seeds, and fruits all of which are fertility symbols. The pomegranate (shilui) is a symbol of fertility and fecundity due to its numerous seeds and many seeds inside it expresses the homophonic wish for 100 sons (liukai baizi). The carp and other fish is a symbol for an abundance of children because they produce many eggs while a pair symbolizes a harmonious marriage. The Chinese word for chestnut is a homophone for “establishing” “sons” or “children” and, therefore, is a good luck symbol for creating a family. Chopsticks symbolize the hope for newlyweds to have children quickly, because it is a homophone for combination “fast” and “sons.” A pair of ducks symbolize fidelity and conjugal affection. The word for dumpling is a wish for a large family because it is homophone for “having o have sexual intercourse” combined with “son” or “child” and dumplings stuffed with dates express a hope for the “early” birth of sons. A fish also represents fertility in marriage since it reproduces rapidly and a pair represent happiness in marriage for life. The frog is a symbol of fertility because it since it is a homophone for the word for baby. The peanut symbolizes the wish for many children because its second character is a homophone for giving birth. The Chinese word for pumpkin sounds like the word for “boy” and symbolizes a wish for sons. The rat symbolizes fertility, abundance and wealth because of its reproductive abilities. A reed pipe (sheng 笙) has the hidden meaning of “to give birth” because it has the same pronunciation as the Chinese word “to give birth.” The ox symbolizes springtime, harvest and fertility. Dumplings stuffed with dates express a hope for the “early” birth of sons, and there are many more.
Sources:
Terese Tse Bartholomew, Hidden Meanings in Chinese Art, San Francisco, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, 2006.
Patricia Bjaaland Welch, Chinese Art: A Guide to Motifs and Visual Imagery, Rutland, Tuttle Publishing, 2008.
Showing 1–12 of 14 results
This finely cast antique figurine with finely articulated features portrays Nandi with jewels sitting recumbent on a high-tiered throne. Kneeling in reverence to serve Lord Shiva he is a symbol of purity and strength. Small figurines were placed on home shrines with other deities and significant family items. Made using lost wax it is a one-of-a-kind piece
This small antique brass Nandi is exquisitely handcrafted with a wonderfully aged patina. He sits recumbent on a raised rectangular platform. Delicately incised with decorative details delineating the head, neck, snout and body, his right leg and tail are sinuous, graceful ornaments rather than defining features. His head is at a 45-degree with lyrically curved horns in contrast to most versions with horns extending backwards. This Nandi is based on a South Indian cow whose humpback is emphasized here by two parallel lines covering it as if is part of a saddle or another ornament feature.
This offering plate with a stack of five propitious fruits was probably affixed to one of the bed posts for a couple as a wish for male children and longevity. The plate sits on a base draped with a stylized ritual cloth and embellished with carved leaves and holds a pomegranate on top to symbolize fertility and the four peaches below are symbols of longevity.
This delicately carved and elaborate document holder was designed to be mounted on a wall held up by its back panel with sumptuously carved floral cutouts and graceful curvilinear embellishments. It was clearly intended as a wedding gift as it is embellished with a huge assortment of auspicious symbols for newly weds, with wishes for wealth, glory, harmony, unity, fertility, the birth of sons, longevity among others. The scalloped carrier section is covered with with black, red and gilt designs and poems by the very famous Song Dynasty poet Su Shi. This would be a wonderful, unique, and appropriate wedding gift to send the bride and groom off with the best possible wishes.
This stunning antique garden stool has parallel ridges surrounding its body and is a fine and rare piece. Hand thrown with a thick high-fired stable body, it has six framed panels with historic and symbolic images against a white background focusing on the finely made and intricate designs surrounded by rich cobalt blue. Most garden stools were made in a drum or barrel shape, far fewer were hexagonal and fewer still had auspicious objects and poems framed within the panels. This fine piece was created for the garden of a rich family, as cobalt was highly prized and expensive used in sparing amounts unless bound for an an important client. This unique piece has not only outstanding rendered panels, but the objects represented there were included to provide a flow of blessings, good wishes, energy and good fortune to those using it.
Decorative every day Shiwan ware pieces are recognized for their fine craftsmanship, vivid expression, and colorful apple-green and drip glazes. Shiwan potters mixed waste materials with local and inexpensive clay – one of the earliest artistic forms of recycling. Shiwan chopsticks holders are unique kitchen accessories, especially as wedding gifts.
Wall pockets remain a very common decorative element in Asian homes. In China, they are used to hold chopsticks and flowers to bring good fortune to a space where the family gathers. With a hole in the back for hanging on a wall, this wall pocket is great addition to enhance a kitchen’s coziness and feng shui and is a wonderful wedding gift.
Shiwan stoneware fruit offerings were especially popular during the Ming and Qing dyansties when the were placed on temple or home altars to communicate and venerate ancestors t augment fresh offerings and bring auspicious blessings of fu to families presenting them. The three peaches interwoven with lotuses are associated with springtime, fertility, and especially a long healthy life for many generations. They are considered propitious gifts for birthdays, especially for the elderly.
Decorative utilitarian Shiwan ware pieces are recognized for their fine modeling, vivid expression, and colorful apple-green and drip glazes. Chopsticks were commonly stored in wall pockets with a hole for mounting. Covered with auspicious symbols, they were often part of a bride’s dowry as “chopsticks” is a pun for “speedy arrival of sons.” It can hold utensils, dried flowers, and other objects and is a unique wedding gift.
Decorative utilitarian Shiwan ware pieces are recognized for their fine modeling, vivid expression, and colorful apple-green and drip glazes. Chopsticks were commonly stored in wall pockets with a hole for mounting. Covered with auspicious symbols, they were often part of a bride’s dowry as “chopsticks” is a pun for “speedy arrival of sons.” It can hold utensils, dried flowers, and other objects and is a unique wedding gift.
This beautiful intricately hand carved, decorated and red lacquered confection-mold with carved indentations on both sides was probably an wedding gift for a wealthy family filled with auspicious symbols – 5-petal plum blossoms with vines and seeds are wishes for good fortune, prosperity, long life and many sons. IT would make a unique wedding gift for a lucky couple.
This tall unique hand-carved wood oil lamp is beautifully decorated with auspicious symbols to entice positive energy and luck in marriage and the arrival of many sons.: on top a pair of finely carved fish, a lotus seed pod on a lotus leaf to hold the oil and a base with a round lotus shape atop a square stone. In excellent condition, it was a well-used piece demonstrated by charred edges on the oil cup from the wick burning until all the oil was depleted.
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