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Cultural Context

utilitarian;household

Iconographic Meaning

Buddhist symbols: bell, respect and veneration; lotus, faithfulness; vase, harmony; pearl, feminine beauty and purity. Figures, Taoist immortals: Ho Hsien-ku, shown with fly wisk; and Lan Ts'ai-ho. Unicorn bearing standard, military official. Deer, longevity. Dragon, male element, power; with pearl, imperial symbol. Books, scrolls; scholars, part of the hundred antiques.

Description

Long, rectangular, brocade textile of cream fabric with dark blue border strip and detailing. The design consists of flowers, birds, animals, along with Buddhist and Taoist emblems. The centre has a prunus, large bell, deer, vases and books. Right and left of the centre are female figures, each with a bare foot, standing on a cloud, playing a flute; a flywhisk hangs from the flute on right. At far left is a deer with a standard. At far right: two birds in flight. Along the top are smaller motifs: scroll, carp, lotus, books and dragonfly. The border design runs along three sides and has two dragons facing a pearl, walls, birds, flowers, vases. The border sides are hemmed.

History Of Use

Blue and white embroideries are part of a long domestic tradition. Designs vary geographically but are constant within generations of families except for minor individual variations. Often used to decorate the bed which traditionally played a focal part in household ritual particularly at the new year when all household spirits were honored. They are family made, by women, and family owned. These embroideries were of no local commercial value.