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Description

A circular label on rice paper backing and gold leaf background. The label depicts four human figures standing on a diamond patterned ground. On the left, a figure wearing a gold robe is facing left and looking downward. To the right of this figure is a woman carrying an infant. Another figure to the right is wearing a pink robe and is being shielded by a parasol being held by a servant standing behind. Above the figures is a red sun. Surrounding the figures are birds, flowers and leaves in various colours. The label is outlined in a blue and gold scalloped pattern.

Specific Techniques

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.

Iconographic Meaning

This image depicts a common theme in Chinese popular art known as the “celestial fairy delivers a son” (tianxian songzi), where a female immortal presents an infant boy to virtuous parents. In this case, the female immortal is dressed in a green robe and carries a baby boy wrapped in a gold blanket. She is followed by a young female attendant who stands behind her with a fan. On the right side, a male scholar in an elegant pink robe and blue cap prepares to receive the child. He is accompanied by a young male attendant who holds up a parasol. A pair of large phoenixes soar above their heads to herald the female immortal’s arrival. A large sun hovers in a central position at the top of the image. The character for “day” is inscribed in the centre of the sun. The sun, depicted at its zenith here, conveys yang energy, strength, and masculinity. The blooming flowers are a sign of fertility and further reinforce the auspicious arrival of a baby boy to carry on the family lineage.

History Of Use

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.