Firecracker Label
Item number 822/8 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.
Item number 822/8 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.
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Firecracker paper composed of coloured papers adhered to the back of a piece of cut gold paper to form a stained glass-like design involving lotus flowers at the centre of the top and bottom, geometric forms around a rectangular hole in the centre, and eight figures around the outside. The figures' faces are painted and the corners are rounded.
Invented in China around the 12th century or earlier, firecrackers have been widely used in China to serve a variety of religious and secular purposes. In both the past and present, firecrackers are used to ward off evil spirits, to honour spirits and deities, and to mark special occasions such as weddings, birthdays, funerals, shop openings, or festivals. Firecrackers are by far in greatest demand during the annual Lunar New Year, when they are ignited to purify a space and to blast away negative energies and demons. Firecrackers are also used in “fengshui” geomantic practices, as ritual objects to be hung in the home to stimulate new beginnings, prosperity, and the protection of the household. A large number of gold firecracker labels were produced from approximately 1850-1910, in the Guangdong region of southern China, to decorate the wooden crates that they were shipped in. Since many of these were produced in Foshan (Fatshan), a city noted for its manufacture of handmade ritual goods, collectors often refer to them as “Fat Shan” labels. The characteristic "gold" effect is produced from bronze or copper sheets and gold leaf, and is recognized as a speciality of Foshan. They range in size from smaller four-inch squares to larger circular labels with a twenty-four inch diameter. The gold labels are colourfully painted with auspicious themes, including depictions of deities, legends and myths, historical narratives, and scenes of everyday life. The images enhance the fireworks’ role in dispelling evil while attracting virtue and prosperity. These gold labels were widely sold in south-central and south-west China, and south-east Asia. Local manufacturers and merchants would order bulk firecrackers, pack them into wooden crates, and decorate the crates with these labels to entice potential distributors and consumers. Aside from their use as firecracker labels, many people in south China used the labels to decorate their rooms and utensils. Few labels survived to today because of their fragility and the small value placed on them at the time. After 1910, these painstaking production techniques were gradually replaced by lithography machines, which allowed artisans to print full colour labels on rice paper.
This label is cut in the shape of a rectangular frame and may have had a missing item in the center. Inside the space of the frame, there are eight figures with distinct characteristics suggesting their status as the Eight Immortals. The Eight Immortals theme is a perennial favourite in Chinese art and represents the attainment of everlasting life through Daoist practice. They are a group of wise sages who have transcended the burdens and mortal diseases of worldly life. Hence they are portrayed as spontaneous, carefree, and fun-loving figures. They come from all backgrounds, rich and poor, and collectively possess a wide range of powers for curing illness, seeing the future, and assisting those in need. They are thus a popular and auspicious set of images to be displayed during the Lunar New Year.
There are two large lotus blossoms, one at the top of the frame and another on the bottom. The Chinese character for lotus blossom (he hua or lian hua) is a pun for “harmony” (he) and “successive” (lian), as in the popular blessing, “may you have successive births of illustrious sons.” The lotus gained popularity as the flower of fertility since one can see the large seedpod when the flower blooms. The lotus is widely depicted in the art of the Lunar New Year as an image that brings both harmony and fertility to the family.
In addition to this item, MOA's collection includes four more firecracker labels that show figures from the Eight Immortals.
Gold labels were handmade in workshops using assembly line techniques. Artisans first cut out the labels' overall shape from bronze or copper foil. Next, they apply a thin rice paper backing to strengthen the foil. To texturize the foil, the artisans used pointed tools to emboss designs. These sheets were pinned to a wall or table so that several painters could work on them. The backgrounds would be painted first, followed by the details in the foreground using smaller brushes. During the last application, even finer brushes were used for the facial features and calligraphy. Some shiny areas of the original bronze or copper foil were left exposed. It was also common to add a layer of gold leaf designs, pressed out of hand-carved wooden blocks, to further accentuate the design.
This data has been provided to the RRN by the MOA: University of British Columbia. We've used it to provide the information on the Data tab.
Firecracker paper composed of coloured papers adhered to the back of a piece of cut gold paper to form a stained glass-like design involving lotus flowers at the centre of the top and bottom, geometric forms around a rectangular hole in the centre, and eight figures around the outside. The figures' faces are painted and the corners are rounded.
This label is cut in the shape of a rectangular frame and may have had a missing item in the center. Inside the space of the frame, there are eight figures with distinct characteristics suggesting their status as the Eight Immortals. The Eight Immortals theme is a perennial favourite in Chinese art and represents the attainment of everlasting life through Daoist practice. They are a group of wise sages who have transcended the burdens and mortal diseases of worldly life. Hence they are portrayed as spontaneous, carefree, and fun-loving figures. They come from all backgrounds, rich and poor, and collectively possess a wide range of powers for curing illness, seeing the future, and assisting those in need. They are thus a popular and auspicious set of images to be displayed during the Lunar New Year.
There are two large lotus blossoms, one at the top of the frame and another on the bottom. The Chinese character for lotus blossom (he hua or lian hua) is a pun for “harmony” (he) and “successive” (lian), as in the popular blessing, “may you have successive births of illustrious sons.” The lotus gained popularity as the flower of fertility since one can see the large seedpod when the flower blooms. The lotus is widely depicted in the art of the Lunar New Year as an image that brings both harmony and fertility to the family.
In addition to this item, MOA's collection includes four more firecracker labels that show figures from the Eight Immortals.
Invented in China around the 12th century or earlier, firecrackers have been widely used in China to serve a variety of religious and secular purposes. In both the past and present, firecrackers are used to ward off evil spirits, to honour spirits and deities, and to mark special occasions such as weddings, birthdays, funerals, shop openings, or festivals. Firecrackers are by far in greatest demand during the annual Lunar New Year, when they are ignited to purify a space and to blast away negative energies and demons. Firecrackers are also used in “fengshui” geomantic practices, as ritual objects to be hung in the home to stimulate new beginnings, prosperity, and the protection of the household. A large number of gold firecracker labels were produced from approximately 1850-1910, in the Guangdong region of southern China, to decorate the wooden crates that they were shipped in. Since many of these were produced in Foshan (Fatshan), a city noted for its manufacture of handmade ritual goods, collectors often refer to them as “Fat Shan” labels. The characteristic "gold" effect is produced from bronze or copper sheets and gold leaf, and is recognized as a speciality of Foshan. They range in size from smaller four-inch squares to larger circular labels with a twenty-four inch diameter. The gold labels are colourfully painted with auspicious themes, including depictions of deities, legends and myths, historical narratives, and scenes of everyday life. The images enhance the fireworks’ role in dispelling evil while attracting virtue and prosperity. These gold labels were widely sold in south-central and south-west China, and south-east Asia. Local manufacturers and merchants would order bulk firecrackers, pack them into wooden crates, and decorate the crates with these labels to entice potential distributors and consumers. Aside from their use as firecracker labels, many people in south China used the labels to decorate their rooms and utensils. Few labels survived to today because of their fragility and the small value placed on them at the time. After 1910, these painstaking production techniques were gradually replaced by lithography machines, which allowed artisans to print full colour labels on rice paper.
Gold labels were handmade in workshops using assembly line techniques. Artisans first cut out the labels' overall shape from bronze or copper foil. Next, they apply a thin rice paper backing to strengthen the foil. To texturize the foil, the artisans used pointed tools to emboss designs. These sheets were pinned to a wall or table so that several painters could work on them. The backgrounds would be painted first, followed by the details in the foreground using smaller brushes. During the last application, even finer brushes were used for the facial features and calligraphy. Some shiny areas of the original bronze or copper foil were left exposed. It was also common to add a layer of gold leaf designs, pressed out of hand-carved wooden blocks, to further accentuate the design.
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