John Rogers: Hi I’m John.
YuQing Zhao: I’m YuQing.
John Rogers: And we’re here to day to talk to you about some more symbols that we
found on smaller frankly household items. This panel that I’m holding in
my hand was a fragment that was taken from a cabinet that was too far
going to be restored. YuQing you want to tell us about the symbolism on
this cabinet?
YuQing Zhao: Sure the stuffs course on the panel there is a elephant and a acrobat. The
elephant means wisdom and change so we like to use this on furniture of a
time.
John Rogers: So the second piece we have is a basket, and a basket is obviously four
clouds surrounding a piece of calligraphy. YuQing what is that calligraphy
mean?
YuQing Zhao: Yeah, this character is double happiness so obviously this item is a gift to
a newly married couple. Double happiness represents good fortune and
long jeopardy. Also around this character there are some clouds it is
abstract painting of a clouds, the clouds means wisdom and blessing.
John Rogers: So again, even on a small piece such as this you have some real richness
when you understand something about the symbols that are included on
the pieces of themselves. Two more, YuQing what is this little animal and
first of all what is this mode?
YuQing Zhao: Yeah, this is a cookie mode we use this to make moon cake, moon cake is
a thick cookie we always eat, we love to eat and this cookie mode is carve
of animals and the animal is a bat, bat means good fortune because it has
same pronunciation of Chinese character good fortune so we always to use
bats to symbolize good fortune.
John Rogers: And it is so interesting to me because in this country the United States bats
are frequently fear but in China bats are considered a really good aspect of
blessing.
YuQing Zhao: Yeah.
John Rogers: And the last one YuQing?
YuQing Zhao: Yeah this is another cookie mode, we have a Chinese character in the
middle and five butterflies around it. The Chinese character is long
jeopardy and the other five butterfly’s means five elements and John you
can talk it some more about that.
John Rogers: Okay the concept of good fortune in Chinese war or literature is made up
of five different elements, there is health, there is wealth, there is living a
right old age, living a moral life and finally a natural death and a very old
age. So again you see the opportunities to learn some more about Chinese
that adds meaning in richness to the designs of what you own.