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Description

Firecracker label depicting four figures. On the left side is a bald male figure with a long white beard and a thin white mustache. He is wearing a long robe that is red, green and white. He is holding a staff in his right hand and an object raised in his left. The next figure, to the right of the first man, is much smaller than the rest of the figures. His robe is pink and green, he is standing on his toes and is looking up at the first figure. The third figure has a red robe with a gold lower section and gold detailing. This figure is holding a large group of flowers, possibly in a vase, up with both arms. The fourth figure, standing slightly in front of the third figure, is wearing a long green robe and has a beard separated into three parts. He has a tall purple hat with horizontal protruding pieces on each side and is looking toward the first figure.

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.

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

In this rather unusual composition, this image depicts two popular deities conversing with one another in an elegant interior space. On the left, the bald figure with a high forehead is the immortal Longevity deity. He carries a long staff in the one arm and holds up a longevity peach in the other. One bite of this precious peach, which grows in the heavenly orchard of the Queen Mother of the West, is said to bestow immortality. Standing opposite in green robes and a blue official’s cap is the Wealth deity. He has three prominent strands in his long black beard and holds a ruyi sceptre, a carved object with a long handle (often in jade or some other precious material) that is used for ceremonial purposes. The ruyi, which literally translates as “as you wish,” is a sign of power, status, and prosperity. Two attendants, depicted as much smaller figures, stand around the Wealth deity and appear to be greeting the Longevity deity.

Item History

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