East Inspirations

What would you do when you love painting but just can’t seem to find any paper or canvas around you? Our 100th Hero proves that a Chinese guy/lady from the 1970’s thought that taking a walk on the beach to pick some seashells is the solution. Having witnessed the outcome, we can’t help but agree! So starting off our series of “ridiculous but surprisingly pretty things to paint on” will be our vintage shell paintings from the 1970’s.

Who would have thought that seashells make for the perfect canvas, it provides a white and neutral base colour while the groves and irregular shape challenge the artist with composition. Apart from its interesting physical properties, seashells also symbolise money/wealth for the Chinese. As shells were used as money in many ancient civilisations and settlements, the Chinese character for shell (贝 pronounced bei4) is included in most characters related to money/value such as:

赚 (zhuan4) - to earn/profit

赏 (shang3) - to appreciate/reward

赐 (ci4) - to bestow

Now what’s not to like about a beautiful artwork that can also help to attract wealth and fortune?

Time for our second instalment of “ridiculous but surprisingly pretty things to paint on”, Hero 101, Painted Jade Eggs.

For most Chinese, Jade is so much more than just a pretty green stone. Since Neolithic eras, it is the symbol of power and status and today people wear them for protection and for it’s alleged healing capabilities. Chinese have a saying “玉不琢，不成器” (yu bu zhuo, bu chang qi) which translates to a Jade that is not carved or worked on, can never become a valuable object.

Therefore, other than making them into jewellery to be worn and sculpting them into majestic centre-pieces, some were even painted on after shaping them into eggs.

Painting on eggs not only enhances the physical aesthetic value of the jade eggs, it actually has a very interesting cultural significance. For a minority ethnic group in China, a painted goose egg needs to be buried with other sacred objects under the soil they intend to build their new home on. In a traditional Chinese wedding ceremony, painted eggs known as “happiness eggs” are to be placed at four corners of the matrimonial bed.

So now we know that these painted eggs not only helps to bring some colours into your living space, they also serves to bring good beginnings and happiness to your life.

Hero 102 is not only a great example of a “ridiculous but surprisingly pretty things to paint on”, but also a beautiful consequence when the east meets the west.

If you try searching for “Snuff Bottles” on Google, 99% of the images shown will be Chinese snuff bottles. But snuff definitely did not originate from China, in fact, it was first used in the Americas and by the 17th Century, it spread into many European cities. Eventually, snuff was brought to China as a tribute by an Italian missionary during the Ming Dynasty. Snuff soon become a must-have among social elites and from there we can expect artistic development of paraphernalia associated with snuff.

It is believed that the idea for reverse painted snuff bottle was discovered by accident. A Chinese snuff smoker was trying the extract the very last bit of snuff from his bottle and in doing that, he accidentally scrapes the inner wall of the bottle and left a mark on his translucent bottle. That inspired him to start painting on the inside of the glass with a special home-made brush and self-developed technique.

Cups are one of the most common crockeries we see and use on a daily basis, but that does not mean they do not have a place on our 108 heroes Hall of Fame! For our next three heroes to be included in this exclusive list, they have got to be something/someone special. Starting with our Hero 97, a set of cups not used by us humans, but by our precious pet birds.

Since the 11th BC, there has been evidence of raising birds as pets in China. Today in modern Singapore, we can also find passionate groups of aviculturist who bring their domesticated birds out for singing competitions at various location around the Singapore heartlands.

Like any well-respected gentleman or lady, birds also enjoy feasting from the finest China. These miniature vases and cups not only makes for a good feeder, but they also beautify the homes of our feathered friends.

It is not uncommon to find antique or vintage feeding cups to be made from the best porcelain and painted with the most intricate designs as keeping birds is considered a luxurious past-time of the wealthy. Therefore apart from scouting for their next prima donna, many bird enthusiasts are also always on a lookout for good bird cups which make them an interesting item to keep and collect.

Continuing with our series of special cups, we introduce our 98th Hero, the aroma cup.

These shot glass look-alikes play a very special role in the Chinese Kungfu Tea Ceremony. During a Chinese Tea Ceremony, we strive to engage as much as our five sense as possible, so you probably would have guessed by now that we use the aroma cups to provide our sense of smell a shot of delight.

They are exceptionally popular when drinking more fragrant tea such as Oolongs, Cliff Teas and Taiwan Mountain Teas. We typically fill these cups with the first steep (a quick 5-10sec), cover it with a teacup, overturn together with the teacup, as we remove the aroma cup, the tea will be drained into the teacup which sat below the aroma cup. We then bring the mouth of the cup near our nose to enjoy the fragrance of the tea, we can repeat this after 15 seconds and again after 1 minute to appreciate the change in fragrance due to interaction with air around it and the variation in temperature.

And of course for non tea drinkers, no one is stopping you from using them to camouflaging your vodkas and tequilas.

Our final member of the special cups series also has a close relation to the Chinese tea culture. Our 99th Hero, the Lidded Brewing Cup started life as a simple tea bowl. As the way Chinese enjoy tea evolved with time, so did the tools we used.

It is believed that Gaiwan/Gaibei first appeared in Chinese society during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644AD) when we started to enjoy tea in the loose leave form. The evolution of the cup took progressed in 2 phases, the first was to add a lid to the simple cup. The lid is used to help maintain the temperature as well as contain the fragrance in the cup during steeping. Furthermore, it also serves the purpose of keeping the tea leaves in the cup when decanting or drinking from it directly. A saucer was later added to this new contraption which makes it easier for tea drinkers to hold the 3-piece teaware with a single hand as it serves as insulation from the hot tea.

Our Gaibei (Lidded Cup) or Gaiwan (Lidded Bowl) featured here first seen light in the late 19th Century. The red mark found on the base of the cup suggests that this is a piece from the Tongzhi Era, and the double happiness character painted on it implies that this may have been used on a wedding day. Various flowers and the lotus symbolises the wish for the newly wedded couple to have a flourishing and harmonious marriage. The lid is painted with several children playing in the field, blessing the couple with beautiful and healthy kids.

When using a Gaibei like this, not only do we get to enjoy the tea we brew in it, but we also get the enjoy the fine craftsmanship of the porcelain piece. That’s another sense engaged!

Our 94th Hero may not be as well known as their blue and white counterpart from Jingdezhen, but it definitely is attractive in its own right. Our hexagonal jade-like green glazed stoneware water pot hails from the kilns of Shiwan, Guangdong. For those who have been following us, you would probably remember that this is not the first Shiwan treasure we are introducing. But you would be probably surprised as most of the Shiwan pieces we have shared before this one were figurines of people and animals.

Unlike figurines made by Shiwan masters, daily use ceramic like this vintage water pot gives a more utilitarian than decorative impression. That being said, the thick green glaze piled on these stoneware pieces gives it a modest and down-to-earth character that we seldom see in their more flamboyant Jingdezhen cousins. The green glaze is the same glaze used for roof tiles we often see on older Chinese architecture. In fact, Shiwan was a important producer of those green roof tiles before they went out of style.

Many of these daily use pieces we see in Singapore and other parts of South-East Asia were brought by Chinese from the Guangdong region when they were migrating south to the Malaya.

Continuing with our modest Shiwan daily ware series, we have our 95th Hero, the ceramic green glazed oil lamp (not the kind where a genie resides in).

Before Thomas Edison invented the light bulbs that we so often take for granted for today, people of the past depended on oil lamps and candles to light up a room or read a book. While we may no longer use this green lamps for reading anymore (books and open flame do not make the best combination), it does not mean they have lost their place in our beautiful home.

Check out the last photo for our suggestion of using them to bring some life into our living space without it being a fire hazard.

Among all our Shiwan Green Ceramic Collection, our 96th Hero has to be the most peculiar. I’ve seen them in my house since young and Senior Cheong loves using them as flower pots for their unique opening makes for an interesting display for blooming flowers. Even the people who sold the items to Senior Cheong did not have a clear idea of what it was used for, they just keep saying it was used as a strainer, but a strainer for what they had no clue.

Finally, with the help of Google (actually Baidu in this case) we unveil a decade-old mystery. Turns out these vintage green ceramic strainers are used for making a special Cantonese delicacy called “Laifun”. The action of straining the rice flour (as shown in the gif) into boiling water is called “Lai” and “Fun” means rice noodles in Cantonese. The noodles are meant to be pretty thick as suggested by the three big openings of the strainer and are usually served in clear chicken stock or pork broth.

Now apart from being charmed by that beautiful green glaze and unique shape, I also get hungry every time I see these Laifun makers our boutique. They definitely would make for a pretty interesting addition for the lucky ones who still have display space in their kitchen or dining area.

If Yoga was a big thing in China 100 years ago, this would probably be how yoga blocks would have looked like. So no, our 91st hero is not a Yoga block, but to many it is something that sounds even more unlikely, a pillow.

Antique and vintage porcelain pillows like this definitely score low on the comfort aspect, while may argue it does serve as a cooling aid to the neck and back of the head after a hot and humid day at work (remember there is no climate control in those times).

Apart from finding porcelain pillows like this one in bedrooms of the olden days, many of them have also been collected from now defunct opium parlours. When placed upright, they provide the perfect angle of attack for opium addicts to heat their opium bowls.

A more noble usage of this pillow could be seen in traditional Chinese medical halls. Instead of using stethoscope, Chinese doctors rely mainly on pulse reading when making a diagnosis. Patient would rest their wrist on the pillow with their palm facing up for doctors to read their pulse. Sometimes these pillows are wrapped with few layer of cloths to make them more comfortable to rest on.

For being such a multi-talented fella, they make very good house warming and wedding gifts in the past. Therefore we often find motifs of lions printed or painted on them, representing protection and generation of good luck. On the side of the pillow, nine piercings form the motif of two Chinese coins with bats guarding them on both ends, representing wealth and fortune (synonym with bat in mandarin).

Nothing beats seeing them real life, so visit them in either of our boutiques in Chinatown soon.

For some a car is just a tool to get them from point A to point B, while for others it is more status symbol than it is a vehicle. If our 92nd Hero is a car, it definitely is no boring point A to point B kind of car. Let’s us pop the hood and take a closer look at this antique fencai (famille rose) Chinese porcelain pillow. Yes, pillow, if you like to learn more about porcelain pillows please visit our previous post on the blue and white porcelain pillows with lions.

This elaborate version of the porcelain pillow may serve the same purpose as the other more simply decorated antique pillows, but it is surely doing it with some flair. The Egret and Lotus motif painted on one side symbolises “一路连科" (pronounced yi lu lian ke) which means to pass the series of civil examinations one after another.

On the other side of the pillow we find a pheasant perched atop a cliff rock with hibiscus and peony flower growing around it. Pheasant represents the second highest ranking official in the Qing court while the combination of hibiscus and peonies is an expression of wealth and glory (荣华富贵 rong hua fu gui).

Moving to the narrower sides of the pillow, we see bamboo and chrysanthemum on side and plum blossom with orchid on the other. The four specially selected plants are collectively known as the Four Gentleman which is widely respected for their gentlemanly characteristics such as modesty, righteousness, perseverance and grace.

Finally, on one end of the pillow we see the bats and coins design (represents fortune and wealth) and on the other an opening with “haitang” shaped surrounding with colourful floral motifs.

Who cares if it is hard as brick, i’m gonna take a nap on it anyway.

Wrapping up our three part antique Chinese pillow feature, we introduce our 93rd Hero and the most unique antique pillow yet. This early 20th century piece is modelled after a famous Sony Dynasty (10-12 Century) example of a ceramic headrest sculpted in the form of a resting tiger.

It’s creamy white body and dark brown over-glaze pays tribute to the great kilns of Cizhou. Cizhou ceramic gained much popularity during the Tang and Song Dynasty due to the attractive contrast created by the pale body and designs and motifs painted in the relatively dark over-glaze.

Much like lions, tiger is seen as a symbol of bravery, courage and protection. Thus the image of the tiger is often associated with decorated generals and warriors in Chinese classics. This may suggest pillows were shaped like tigers in order to help ward off evil spirits or bad luck when the owner is resting after a long day at work.

If nightmares have been keeping you up recently, it may time to pay this little tiger a visit soon!

Our 88th Hero is one of those things that hides so well in the shop that even as the shopkeeper, we sometimes forget they are there! Until some of our very experienced treasure hunters come digging and prying about the shop do they reappear and makes us go: “how did we forget about this little beauties?”.

Quails may look docile and cute but did you know cock quails fighting was quite popular in China (much like cricket and cockerel fights). Which is why Chinese do recognize them as symbol of bravery and fighting spirit. When seen as a pair, Chinese will regard that as a symbol of blissful marriage as quails are known be mates for life. These porcelain quails were made in China and hand painted in Macau in the late 20th century.

When we think of parrots the first thing that comes to mind would typically be their colorful feather, that is probably why our 89th hero have caught the eye of many visitors to our shop as they are glazed in turquoises blue instead of the expected poly-chrome.

Despite being glazed with just three different colors, dull would be the last word we will use to describe them. The white glaze used for the beak and feet gives a good contrast against the blue body, purple glaze was used for the crown and the rock it is stand on the give the overall piece its iconic look.

Parrots represents love in Chinese culture and is also considered a sacred bird in Hinduism.

Despite having one of the best zoo in the world, visitors seldom associate Singapore the floral and fauna found here. But that does not necessarily mean you will not encounter wildlife in our busy city state, did you know other than at the Jurong Bird Park, you can see live peacocks on Sentosa Island? If you do not have time to visit either of the places above, pay a visit to our boutique in Chinatown where you will find this beautiful and colourful pair of vintage porcelain peacock on display.

Peacocks are definitely held in high regard among Chinese as the image of the majestic phoenix seems to borrow many features from the peacocks. They are also referred to as the bird with 100 eyes is believe to have the ability to promote adoration and fortune.

This pair of vintage peacock is from the 1970’s is modeled standing proudly on a rock with images of peony and narcissus (symbolising beauty and prosperity). For those who have been wanting to keep a pet bird but do not fancy the cleaning and feeding, these peacocks are calling!

While many may not recognize her here but once you hear her name, you will know our 85th hero is not just a hero of East Inspirations, but a true heroine of her time! She is none other than the famous General Hua Mulan. Yes, this is the same Mulan that appeared in Disney’s animated film in 1998.

But long before Mulan was introduced to world in the form of cartoon to the international audience, Chinese kids grow up learning about her heroism and her stories are often used to teach the concept of filial piety. For the benefit of those who have never heard of Mulan or watched the film, Mulan is known for her filial act of taking her father’s place in the conscript. As the Chinese court was under constant attack from their nomadic neighbor, they are conscripting almost any men strong enough to hold a sword in their hand. However, Mulan couldn’t bear to see her aged father face the perils of military life again. Therefore, she took the risk of disguising herself as a son and took the place of her father.

Having successfully served the military and defended the court, the emperor pardoned her crime (lying to the court and emperor about her identity) and even offered her a post in the court. Being the filial child she is, she politely declined as she felt that she needed to return home make up for lost time with her father.

You would never have thought that a boy with a pirate father who spent 7 years of his childhood with his Japanese mother in Japan would later become one of the greatest hero in Chinese history. The hero we are introducing today is none other than our 86th hero, Zheng Chenggong (Koxinga).

Zheng is well-known for being one of the most loyal generals to the Ming court of all time, in fact, he played a big part in the longest struggle for restoration of Ming rule during the early Qing Dynasty. Despite his military might at sea, the Qing troops managed to force Zheng out of his Xiamen base. This left Zheng no choice but to land on Taiwan where he would go on to oust the incumbent Dutch and set up a new administrative base for his ambitions.

If you judge our 87th hero by his looks, he would seem like an unlikely hero. On the contrary, this zany looking monk in tattered robe and overgrown facial hair is very much respected in Chinese culture. Ji Gong (济公) was actually born very late into a rich family during the Song Dynasty. His parents died when he was eighteen which is when he decided to enter monastic life at Lingyin Temple.

However, he did not last long in the temple as he just could not stay away from meat and wine which monks are supposed abstain from. After being expelled from the Lingyin Temple, he roamed the street without giving up his robes and heart of gold. Everywhere he goes he tries to help the poor and needy with his magical fan despite being despised for his looks and eccentric behavior. As time past, people start to look beyond his appearance and the Taoist even adopted him as one of their deity when he died.

Our Ji Gong ceramic figurine featured here is made in Shiwan, China and depicted holding his enchanted fan and a maroon tree-legged toad resting on his shoulder. His robes are also glazed in the classic “Ge” style with beautiful crackle pattern on celadon ground.

The next 3 heroes that we will be introducing are not just heroes of East Inspirations, but also heroes of mid 20th Century Singapore household. In fact, Mr Cheong ( definitely the older one) grew up seeing and using them in his own home.

So we will start with our 82nd Hero, a vintage porcelain bowl, commonly known as the ping pong bowl with reference to the motifs used. On the body of the bowl, there are 4 images of young kids playing table tennis (ping pong), 2 young boys and 2 young girls. In complement to the 4 images, 4 Chinese characters 锻炼身体 (duan4 lian4 shen1 ti3) which translates literally to “train your body/health) are placed between the motifs. On the bottom, we find the mark “Made in Liling China" which indicates that the piece was made in Liling, a city famous at that time for innovation in colourful underglaze porcelains.

Technology have improved so much and so fast in the past decades that it is hard to imagine just slightly more than half a century ago, our 83rd Hero is a must have for any arithmetic chore. The traditional abacus started to lose its market share when the first electronic calculator was introduced in 1961 and the situation got worse for our hardy abacus in the 70’s when pocket sized calculators were widely available in the market.

Today, we use abacus not so much as a tool for calculation but more an educational tool to teach arithmetic concepts to kids at school. Chinese businesses also like to display or hang an abacus around the cashier so as to bless the business with constant flow of cash to count.

Now back to our hero who is a Chinese abacus with 2 beads on the top section and 5 beads on the bottom section. Each bead on the top section represents 5 while each beads on the bottom represents 1. If you are interested in learning how to use the Chinese abacus, we found useful tutorial here. Notice in the third picture where you can see through the part of the abacus backplate? This abacus is designed with a removable back-plate, as the back-plate would be very useful in situations when the seller and buyer would like to keep their transaction value a secret.

Unlike the abacus, our 84th Hero could probably still fulfill its purpose pretty well despite its age. This vintage ceramic chopstick holder is such a common sight in the mid 20th century kitchens of Singapore that you would probably find one exhibited in Chinatown Heritage Centre, which by the way is one of the must visits in Chinatown Singapore(no we are not sponsored to do this).

While they came in a few different designs, the one featured here is designed with a pair of mandarin ducks swimming in a lotus pond. Four Chinese characters to be read from right to left 富贵长春 (fu4 gui4 chang2 chun1) can also be found on the upper section of the holder. The auspicious phrase blesses the family with fortune and peace while the image represents love and harmony, definitely a great addition to any kitchen wall.

Chopstick holders also differentiates themselves from normal decorative hanging vases with holes on the bottom which serves the purpose of draining excess water from the freshly washed chopsticks. These holes incidentally make it a very good hanging planter for the kitchen!

Our 79th hero plays a very important role in helping us create the “East Inspirations“ experience that have been very much enjoyed by our visitors and friends! This hand crafted Yixing clay tea caddy holds one our favourite puer tea (2006 vintage) which we are always so eager to share.

Yixing clay tea caddies are among the top choices for storing either raw or fermented puer teas. The porosity of Yixing clays helps in the ageing process of a good puer, bringing your tea drinking experience to the next level. Beyond being a container for our precious teas, a beautiful tea caddy can also be enjoyed on its own as a piece of artwork during a tea session or ceremony.

Hero 80, another tea caddy but this time, made with pewter. This is the type of tea caddy that Singaporeans grow up seeing and using as tea caddies like these are typically used to keep Oolong teas ( a local favourite for pairing with Bak Ku Teh).

Pewter tea caddies are made very differently from the Yixing Clay Tea Caddy we introduce earlier, they are designed to be air tight in order to preserve the aroma of Oolongs and cliff teas. Many of these vintage tea caddies still makes the weirdly satisfying “pop” sound whenever we open them.

Tips* When opening vintage pewter tea caddies (especially when you are visiting vintage/antique stores), as much as possible do not twist and turn the cap, pull the cap vertically upwards slowly gently so as to not leave friction marks. Pewter is pretty malleable so handle with care and do not drop them, a dent in a tea caddies will also mean a dent in its value!

Having shared the two most common types of tea caddy every Chinese tea enthusiast would have in their collection, we would like to introduce something less seen in the market, our 81st Hero, a vintage wooden tea caddy with hand-carved shell embellishment.

Similar to the pewter tea caddies, we believe this wooden tea caddy was designed to be airtight as we find the inner walls being carefully covered with a layer of tin foil. On the front side of the caddy, you will find shell embellishment in the form of cranes and pines, a traditional motif representing longevity. On the back, it is carved with a simple orchid motif which symbolises nobility and elegance. On the right side panel, it is carved with Chinese characters reading 永味清香 (yong3 wei4 qing1 xiang1), meaning a lasting and fresh aroma while on the left 中国名茶 (zhong1 guo2 ming2 cha2), meaning famous and precious tea from China.

Taking the lead to introduce the Chinese Four Treasures of the Study is none other than our 76th Hero, the Hu Calligraphy Brushes. The other three members of this scholarly group would be the xuan paper, ink stick and ink stone.

Hu Bi (湖笔) is named after its birthplace, Shanlian Town, Huzhou of the Zhejiang Province. While Chinese calligraphy brushes were invented much earlier, Hu Bi only became the "weapon of choice" for calligraphers and painters alike during the Yuan Dynasty (13th Century).

Generically we have three big categories of Chinese brush tips, the soft tips (goat's hair), hard tips (weasel's hair, often mistaken as wolf's fur) and finally combination tips. They also come in a myriad of sizes which provides artists with many options to create and impress.

Continuing our feature on the Chinese Four Treasure of the Study, we introduce our 77th Hero, a vintage inkstone. Like the calligraphy brushes introduced earlier, inkstone is a must-have for any aspiring scholar in ancient China. While the oldest inkstone ever excavated dates all the way back to the Han Dynasty (3rd Century), the production of this scholarly treasure gained much momentum during the Tang and Song Dynasty (7th-13th Century).

As the name suggests, inkstone is made from stones found in the various region in China. The four most well-known and sought-after inkstones are known as Duanyan (from Guangdong), Sheyan (from Anhui/Jiangxi), Taoheyan (from Gansu) and Chengniyan (from Henan).

Our very own inkstone here comes from Zhaoqing, Guangdong Province, and yes you have guessed it right, it belongs to the Duanyan family. This particular piece also exhibits a unique characteristic known as stone eyes as seen in the third picture. Before carving on these special duan stone, the artist will plan their design in a way where the greenish rings are well integrated to the overall aesthetic of the inkstone. In the case of this particular piece, the stone eyes are used as dragon pearls while the borders are carved with dragons flying among the clouds.

Finally, our Four Treasures of the Study feature would not be complete without introducing our 78th Hero, the vintage Inksticks.

In ancient China, ink did not come in bottles, instead, they came in the form of sticks or cakes like the ones featured here. Most aspiring calligraphers or painters spend years after years just preparing the ink for their master/teacher. Ink used for painting are prepared by grinding the inksticks with water on inkstone (featured earlier). The density of the ink can be manipulated by controlling the amount of water used and for how the inksticks were being ground. This is very much akin to how aspiring chef starts out by learning how to prepare ingredients instead of jumping straight into the cooking.

Beyond serving as a tool for calligraphers to create their masterpieces, inksticks have also become pieces of art themselves when masterful sculptor started using them as a medium for their creation. Take this vintage set of inksticks for example, the carving depicts the luxurious life of Chinese ladies belonging to the higher echelon of feudal China.

*This particular set has already made its way to a new home, we have other sets carved with different subjects available.

No.73 is no stranger to the spotlight as this great example of an early Qing underglaze blue and white porcelain plate was featured earlier on our Instagram feed. This 200-year-old beauty is in such great condition that you will not believe it until you hold it in your hands, minimal evidence of wear and tear with no visible cracks and chips. The quality is superb as the blue turns out bright and alluring, the painting sure and mature, definitely an artwork from an experienced pair of hands.

There are two possible explanations to the motif drawn on the centre of the plate, Cheong Snr and Cheong Jr are still debating over it. Cheong Snr believes it depicts He Xiangu, the only female among the Eight Immortals and if you have been following us, you would know by now that He Xiangu is frequently depicts holding a stalk of lotus just like the one found on this plate. Cheong Jr on the hand has taken the view that the artist was painting He Xian (荷仙), the Lotus Deity. Therefore, he believes there should be a matching plate which depicts He Xian (盒仙), the Box Deity, so when combined they become He He Er Xian (和合二仙， an auspicious representation of harmony and unity.

What is your take? Visit us now to take a look at this beauty and share your views to help us end the debate!

With the help of our 74th Hero, we introduce a different kind of blue in our 108 Heroes feature, the handsome powder blue or snowflake blue. This unique variation from the traditional monochrome blue glaze is said to have been invented during the 15th Century, under the reign of Ming Dynasty's Emporer Xuande. This technique and design stood the test of time to be well loved during the early Qing period (17-18th century) and is believed to be perfected during the period. 

The powder or snowflake effect is created by blowing the cobalt glaze on the desired unglazed porcelain instead of painting or dipping. Today we can see examples of powder blue pieces where the entire object is covered with the beautiful glaze while our hero featured here, demonstrates another popular style where panels reserved in white are used to create a contrasting effect. Within the centre white panel, bamboos representing resoluteness, honorability and chastity are painted in blue. Additional four fan-shaped panels reserved in white surrounds the centrepiece to give this plate a tad more character.

*This Hero has since been adopted.

Helping us introduce another gorgeous glaze of the Qing Dynasty is our 75th Hero, a Coral Red Teaset Dish.

As you might have guessed, this beautiful glaze got its name from its striking resemblance to the beautiful red corals. It is actually a form of low-temperature iron glaze and like how powder blue porcelains were made, coral red glaze was blown instead of painted on bare porcelain vases/bodies. The glaze originated during Kangxi's reign (17th Century) and was perfected during both Yongzheng and Qianglong's reign (18th Century).

This late Qing (19th Century) example we see here uses coral red as ground, gold gilt all round to break the monotomy and the centre panel reserved in white with famille rose painting. From the pictures we can also identify the orange peel effect on the glaze.

*This hero has since been adopted by a Malaysian collector.

Our 70th Hero needs little introduction as we are quite certain that this is not your first encounter with China decorated in a similar style or design. While the "Wan Shou Wu Jiang" style is believed to originated in the early Qing period (17th-18th Century), it is in the later years of the Qing Dynasty and the Republic period where they have gained much popularity and production gained much pace.

"Wan Shou Wu Jiang" literally translates to "ten thousand life without limits" which makes for a perfect birthday wish especially when Chinese Emperors have always been obsessed with immortality. On top of the four Chinese characters, the holder of the lid is also styled as a peach which is another well-known symbol of good health and longevity.

Our first pick to represent this iconic series of China is a turquoise blue cup with lid. This piece is in perfect condition and we can find the mark "中国景德镇制" (Made in China, Jingdezhen) on the bottom.

As a continuation of the Imperial Birthday Porcelain series we introduce our 71st Hero, a yellow "wan shou wu jiang" duo handle sugar pot.

While we typically will classify pieces with the distinctive characters written in four medallions the Imperial Birthday Porcelain, our second pick for the series shows that within this family of porcelain, there exists much room for variations. Instead of a peach, the potter opted for a much simpler button for the lid on this particular piece. From our experience with this series of porcelain, older pieces often exhibit higher quality in terms of complexity of design, quality of the glaze as well as porcelain clay used.

On the bottom of this vintage sugar pot we find the mark "江西出品" (Product of Jiangxi) which suggest this piece is most probably made between 1949-1980's. 

Completing our feature of the Imperial Birthday Porcelain series is our 72nd Hero, a vintage plum red "wan shou wu jiang" plate.

This colour and form are probably the more common ones among the Imperial Birthday Porcelain collections. It is no surprise that we see many red Imperial Birthday Porcelain pieces as it is an auspicious and popular colour in Chinese culture. 

Similar to our Turquoise Cup, we find a six character "中国景德镇制" mark on the underside of the plate, which serves to suggest this vintage piece is most likely made between the 1950's - 80's.

Note* Not all porcelain with Imperial Birthday Motifs are antiques or vintages as these porcelains are still in production today. However, it is not difficult to tell the new apart as the quality of the painting and colour are usually of much inferior to their older counterparts.

Having survived the elements under the sea while lying on the Indonesian seabed for more than 200 years, our 67th feature is definitely a hero in its own right!

Depending on the way the cargo was being packed as well as the way the ship crashed into the bottom of the sea, we are able to retrieve porcelains of varying conditions. We can see that for this particular piece we have chosen to feature here, has much of it's beautiful under-glazed blue intact, thus suggesting it might have taken cover under other less fortunate pieces. However, if you run your finger across the surface of the porcelain, you will feel that much of the glossy glaze has already been corroded away by the sea water.

On the centre of the cover, we spot a skillfully painted sunflower motif in blue and white. Surrounding the floral motif at the centre is the Chinese "Ba Bao" (Eight Treasures) motifs, the same motifs are repeated on the underside of the bottom part of the powder box. Boxes like these were mainly exported to European markets, thus they are more commonly found in shipwrecks than in China itself.

While this particular shipwreck has not been named, with the help of the painting style and the colour of cobalt we can estimate that this piece belongs to the early Qing period ( 18th Century).

Standing at just slightly more than 2 inches tall, our 68th Hero is one of the smallest to be featured on our 108 Heroes series.

Similar to our 67th Hero, this trio of miniature vases were found in the sea along the Indonesian straits and is estimated to originate from 18th Century China. While it's exact use is still unclear, some suggest they could be snuff bottles used by the Chinese and others identify it simply as small decor items for the western market.

Nonetheless, these mini vases make for good collection as well as reference material for those who are just starting to build a collection.

Our third and final underwater hero is less colourful, but no less mesmerising when compared to its blue and white counterparts introduced earlier. Evidence of its time spent underwater is undoubtedly more obvious as much of its surface has already been dominated by barnacles and other marine life. This bowl is also much older as we estimate it to be a late Yuan, early Ming piece from the 14th Century China.

For those who are thinking of collecting Shipwreck porcelain and pieces, we welcome you to bookmark this page for your future reference. While having corals and barnacles on the porcelain pieces seems pretty telling that these pieces have been harvested from the sea, that does not mean they are necessarily authentic pieces. In recent years, we have witnessed plenty of imitation shipwreck antiques where the counterfeit experts deliberately dump newly minted blue and whites into the sea for a few years to make them look like the real deal (more specifically, we have seen many Ca Mau Shipwreck imitations). If as a beginner it is difficult for you to tell the difference by the colour and design of the porcelain, then study the barnacles and corals found on the porcelain, a 5 years old coral will look quite different from a 300 year old one.

As with all antiques, it is still best to handle the real deal at our boutique to get a good impression of how it feels and looks in real life.

When we look at the vividly painted Canton ware pieces on the market today, it is hard to imagine that they actually started life during the Ming Dynasty as a comparatively dully-decorated Sancai (tri-coloured) porcelain. From then, the style slowly developed into the colourful Famille rose during the Qing Dynasty, and it is only until under Qianlong’s reign that it has matured into a unique and iconic look that captured the eyes and hearts of the western world. While it was the Chinese artisans that made and painted the canton ware porcelains, many would agree the Europeans had a great influence on its style and development.

Although the geographical location of Canton did not have much impact on its manufacturing process, they are named Canton ware because much of these porcelains were exported from the ports in Canton (Guangzhou). In fact, the porcelain base, glazes used for painting and even the artisans came from Jiangxi Jingdezhen, the porcelain capital of China.

The late 19th Century sugar pot featured here embodies much of the distinctive features of the fully matured Canton ware style. The paintings on the body are divided into four sections, two sections are filled with the European influenced bird flower and butterfly combination, while the other two is painted with people donning traditional Chinese robes. On the lid, we witness a similar distribution of motifs with the addition of a golden peach that doubles as a holder.

We simply love pieces like this because not only are they great display cabinet items, they can be really practical too. Other than using them as a sugar jar, they also make perfect caddies for Pu-er tea or any other item that does not require air-tight storage.

Adding on to our colourful collection of Canton ware porcelain, we have this beautifully painted vase from the late 19th century. Much like the sugar pot which was featured earlier, vases painted in this distinct style was produced more so for the European market rather than the domestic market. However today, European and Chinese collectors alike are buying up these magnificent art pieces especially when they have a taste for more expressive antique pieces.

On the neck of the vase, we can find the two illustrations on both sides of a mother and son playing with a dragonfly. While on the body of the vase, the front and back are painted with Chinese characters while on the sides, we find the popular birds and flowers motifs. On the lip of the vase we can also find colourful vines and flowers painted on it just to give the piece a more complete and consistent look. Lion shaped ears on the neck and prancing serpents on the shoulder also helps to give this piece extra character.

Our final Canton ware porcelain to be featured in our 108 Heroes series is a pair of saucers from mid-late 20th century.

While the colours used and subject painted on Canton ware porcelain remain pretty much unchanged even till the 20th century, we can see a dip in terms of the details and intricacies when compared to their older counterparts. However, it would be inaccurate to conclude all Canton ware porcelain made in the 20th century are of lesser quality as finer quality pieces would still be made for special commissioned orders. 

Saucers like these are usually accompanied by matching teacups but they still make for a beautiful collection on their own nonetheless. 

The fortune star or more commonly known as "Fuxing" belongs to the ever popular group called the Three Lucky Stars or Fu Lu Shou. The origin of Fuxing dates all the way back to the Tang Dynasty, where he helped the City of Yang appeal to the Emporer to stop paying tributes in the form of dwarf slaves. The people of Yang was very grateful for his act and referred to him as the god of fortune or Fuxing.

From a Chinese astrology perspective, the Fuxing also refers to the planet Jupiter. Since Neolithic China, it is believed to be a powerful star and sign with powers to bless a reigning King with fortune and peace for his kingdom.

Coming back to our featured Hero, our porcelain Fuxing was made in the 1970's in the capital of Chinese porcelain, Jingdezhen. While the porcelain base was mainly made using moulding techniques, the beautiful colours are all carefully handpainted by masters of the yesteryears. The version of Fuxing featured here also depicts him carrying a little boy as the Chinese view having kids and descendants to be a great fortune.

For those who find it difficult to match the traditional look of our vintage Fu Lu Shou with their modern home decor, we have also found a cheeky and very much cheerful version (as shown in the last picture) of the Lucky Stars. Ready to invite the god of fortune to your beautiful home now?

We introduce our 62nd hero, Luxing, the As the second instalment of our mini Fu Lu Shou series. Similar to Fuxing, Luxing has its own reference in the Chinese astrology, more specifically, it refers to the ζ Ursa Majoris or the sixth star in the Wenchang Cluster. It is believed that this particular star governs the level of prosperity of one's life, and by prosperity, it refers to more of rank and influence rather than direct access to money and wealth.

Therefore, Luxing gained much popularity during the Tang Dynasty when imperial exams were instituted where the top scholar will be given an official title and a chance to serve the Emporer. Thus, this is seen as an opportunity to greatly improve one's social status and wealth, which explains why the people turn to Luxing for blessings to do well on the exams.

Coming back to our featured Hero, our porcelain Luxing was made in the 1970's in the capital of Chinese porcelain, Jingdezhen. While the porcelain base was mainly made using moulding techniques, the beautiful colours are all carefully handpainted by masters of the yesteryears. Like most Luxing figures, it is depicted donning an officer's robes and carrying a auspicious Ruyi in his left hand.

For those who find it difficult to match the traditional look of our vintage Fu Lu Shou with their modern home decor, we have also found a cheeky and very much cheerful version (as shown in the last picture) of the Lucky Stars. Ready to invite the god of fortune to your beautiful home now?

The final member the Three Lucky Stars, Shouxing, takes 63rd place on our 108 Heroes feature. As with Fu and Lu, Shou is also an actual star in Chinese astronomy. It is sometimes referred to as the Old Man's Star or the Southern Old Man, but astronomer knows him as the Carinae.

Chinese astrologers believe this particular star governs the health and lifespans of beings in the mortal realm, making Shouxing very popular especially with the elderly. Shouxing is also arguably the most recognizable star of the three as he is often depicted as a old man with long white beard, carrying a walking staff and heavenly peach which symbolizes longevity and immortality. 

For those who find it difficult to match the traditional look of our vintage Fu Lu Shou with their modern home decor, we have also found a cheeky and very much cheerful version (as shown in the last picture) of the Lucky Stars. Ready to invite the god of fortune to your beautiful home now?

We have reached the 58th hero of our year-long feature and today we will introduce our special collection of bamboo wrapped porcelain.

Besides the cute and cuddly Giant Pandas, Chengdu Sichuan is also famed for being the original creator of this unique bamboo art. The vases featured here is a combination of two great craft of China, porcelain from the legendary Jiangxi Jing De Zhen and bamboo weaving from Chengdu Sichuan. The bamboo used for this craft must be locally sourced in Chengdu, more specifically in the Qionglai Mountains where you can find vast and lush bamboo forests. However, only the best of the best quality bamboos will make the cut for this craft as the bamboo must be between 2 to 3 years old and blemish or scratches on the body are not tolerated. The selected bamboos then go through a complicated preparation process where every 60kgs of raw bamboo only produce 400g of usable bamboo material for weaving.

Therefore you can imagine why this precious material is reserved for experienced master weavers to make these exemplary works of art. in order to create more complicated designs and motifs, some of the bamboo strips are also dyed in colours to give the crafters more options to showcase their creativity.

The limited pieces we have in our collection are vintages made between the 1950's-70's and are now very much sought even by Chinese collectors from mainland China. View them now in our South Bridge boutique before they get snapped up by savvy collectors!

Unveiling our 59th Hero, an iconic piece of the Chinese bronze age, a "Jue" vessel. The Jue has a few distinctive features that differentiate them from a regular bronze cup. Firstly, these unique vessels stand on only three legs, has a drinking spout, a tail on the opposite side, single handle by the side of the body and two pillars protruding on both sides of the vessel's mouth. While many scholars could agree that these are used mainly as wine vessels (in fact the wines were warm in these vessels before drinking), the reason for the inclusion of the two pillars remains quite debated.

Regardless of whether the pillars served a practical function, they certainly helped set the Jue apart from regular daily use bronzewares.

Original Jue vessels would date back to as early as the 1900 BC and they continue to be quite popular even up to the last dynasty of China, Qing Dynasty. The hero featured is well made late 20th Century replica which embodies all the distinctive features of the iconic Jue vessel, making it an interesting decor item for your private bar at home!

Coming back closer to where home is, we introduce our 60th Hero, a South-East Asian vintage bamboo tobacco/opium pipe. Unlike many of the more ornate opium/tobacco pipes used by wealthy Chinese families, the beauty of this basic yet fully functional pipe lies in its simplicity.

While it is difficult to give an exact age to this piece, from the styling and natural patina formed on the bamboo pipe body, we would estimate our Hero to be made between the 1920's-50's. 

Introducing our 55th instalment of our year-long heroes series. Who else other than Mr Pumpkin is more appropriate for the upcoming Halloween tomorrow!

While Halloween has turned the pumpkin into a pretty spooky item, it is still considered quite an auspicious fruit or symbol in the east. The Chinese often refers to the pumpkin as "Nan Gua" (the southern gourd) or "Jin Gua" (Golden Fruit), hence its association with wealth and prosperity. Plentiful of seeds found in this yummy fruit also symbolises fertility, another top favourite motif for Chinese families especially those with newlyweds.

This beautifully crafted silver plated pumpkin box is handmade by Khmer artisan using traditional skills and techniques. While smaller versions of boxes like this are used for betel nut or opium, bigger ones like this one featured here are usually made for ceremonial purposes. Today they not only make great display pieces, they can also be used to store your little trinkets on your dresser or candies if placed on a coffee table.

Our 56th Hero is a magnificent crackled porcelain piece from the late Qing era decorated with iron-glazed dragons and crane on its body.

The two dragons that dominate the front of the vase is depicted playing with dragon pearl to symbolise power and nobility, while the crane that takes centrestage at the back of the vase represents longevity. On both sides of the vases' neck, we can also find a pair of handles shaped like branches of the elegant cherry blossom to symbolise good beginnings as well as to balance our the masculinity of the piece.

The contrast between the iron-glazed motifs and the ivory white crackled glazed base helps bring out the beauty of them both, a very special piece in pristine condition.

*This hero has been adopted and now sits beautifully on a black marble table overlooking the charming Keppel bay.

The Monkey God, Monkey King, Great Sage of the Heavens are all names and titles of our 57th Hero, Sun Wukong. The Monkey God was first introduced in a 16th Century Chinese classic, Journey to the West, and has enjoyed much popularity ever since. In the story, he is the first disciple of the monk Xuanzhang whose is on a mission to retrieve the sacred scriptures from the "holy west".

The path to the "holy west" is full of demons and evil men who are hunting Xuanzhang, as it is believed that consuming his flesh will bestow them immortality. Sun (pronounced as soon) is the eldest and most powerful among his three disciples, thus the most popular with kids and adults alike.

This antique ceramic piece from the late 19th century was probably made by sculptors from Shiwan, China. Sun is depicted sitting and holding to probably his favourite fruit, the heavenly peach which gave him immortality when stoled and consumed during his stint as guardian of the heavenly peach garden.

*This hero belongs to Mr Cheong's private collection and is not for sale, however it is available for viewing in our 233 South Bridge Road boutique.

Did you know East Inspirations started life as Far East Lamp Arts in a little workshop in Ubi industrial estate? Lamps were Mr Cheong's first passion and he was definitely one of the pioneers in the desk lamp industry in Singapore. He still vividly remembers the days when he drives his little Mitsubishi mini-van, filling hotels rooms along the Orchard Road stretch with his lamps fitted with handmade lamp-shades proudly made in Singapore by Mrs Cheong and her team. If you ever bought lamps from Hollands Village or CK Tangs (where Marriot Hotel sits now along Orchard Road), there is a high chance those lamps were made by Far East Lamp Arts.

However, as the cost of manufacturing became too expensive, Mr Cheong decide to switch to retail where he shared his passion for antique Chinese ceramics and furniture in the form of the Boutique shop in Singapore Handicraft Centre (now Chinatown Point), and then moved to 33 Pagoda Street in 1997 which we are still very lucky and grateful to be still operating in.

This particular lamp featured here as our 52nd Hero seats comfortably beside the cashier of our 233 South Bridge Road boutique. A special piece that Mr Cheong still refuses to sell as it reminds him of his sweet entrepreneurial days.

But if you are looking for some good quality vintage or oriental looking porcelain lamps, you must pay any of our boutiques a visit for you will for sure find something unique for your home or office.

Our 53rd Hero was born when Mr Cheong decided to combine his two biggest passion, lamps and antique. During one of Mr Cheong's purchasing trip in China during the 1990's, he chanced upon a large quantity antique porcelain vase with chips and crack from the neck up. Charmed by the beautiful work of the artisans of the Qing Dynasty and Republic Period, he acquired the whole lots of them despite the damage.

What better way to make these beautiful antique vase feel appreciated again than to convert them into lamps? They may have lost bits and piece off their rim and neck, but they are far from losing their charm. Since these antique vases were been handmade and hand-painted, it is almost impossible to an exact pair of lamps, making these unique pieces the perfect centrepiece for your living room or entrance.

Today, you can find an assortment of unique antique porcelain lamps from either of our boutiques. So if you have been hunting for the lamp with some x-factor, look no further!

Our final lamp to be featured will be introduced as our 54th Hero, a vintage green ceramic pillar converted to be a unique desk lamp.

Other than beautiful porcelain vases and jar, Far East Lamp Arts was really popular with both retailers and customers alike as we made many unique lamps that shout character. The first lamp featured here is converted from a ceramic decorative pillar commonly found on old colonial houses in the 50's and 60's, usually as decoration on the balcony. When many of the old houses were forced give way to newer developments, these green pillars were collected among other decorative items like Peranakan tiles etc. Who would have known they make beautiful lamps?

In addition to the pillar lamps, you will also find other unique lamps such as the abacus lamp (picture 2) and the bird-cage lamp (picture 3) in our boutiques. If you are looking for some unique lighting solutions for your home, it is about time you pay us a visit!

We are super excited to introduce another mini-series for our 108 heroes feature. Starting with our 49th hero, which is also an important member of the popular Chinese motif The Three Abundances, the pomegranate.

The pomegranate is regarded highly by the Chinese as the abundance of seeds found in its fruits is seen as a sign of fertility. On a more practical note, this wonder fruit was also harvested by the Chinese to be used as medicine, food and even colour dye. The plant is also believed to be a good luck charm as they are used in Buddhist ceremonies.

Even today, to prevent evil spirits and bad luck from following one home after attending a funeral service, it is a common practice for Chinese to wash their face and hands with water infused with pomegranate leaves before entering their home.

Coming back to our hero, this vintage silver piece was hand-crafted by Khmer masters and could have been used to store betel. Today, besides being an exquisite decor piece and collection on its own, many also use them to keep small pieces of precious jewellery. 

Wishing all an abundance of fertility!

Stay tuned as we will be revealing the other two magical fruits soon!

Our 50th Hero is introduced as the second instalment to our Three Abundance mini-series. This peculiar looking fruit bears the scientific name Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, but is better known as the Buddha's Hand for looking like one.

The Buddha's hand Chinese name (佛手) "fo shou" shares a similar pronunciation with (福手) "fu shou" with means "hand of fortune". Therefore the fruit is often associated with luck, fortune and definitely something you would want in abundance.

The bronze Buddha's hand piece featured here doubles as either a tealight candle holder or incense burner. If you look close enough, a cute ladybug sits on the fruit, making the already special piece extra collectable.

Wishing all abundance of fortune!

Stay tuned for our last instalment of the Three Abundance series!

Finally, to end off our Three Abundance mini-series, we present our 51st Hero, a vintage Yixing clay teapot in the shape of a peach.

While this pot is not as old as our 42nd Hero, it works similarly with its unique inverted design. Like the vintage pot featured earlier, it seems the creator of the pot has the intention for every drop of water that emerges from its spout to be blessed with good health and longevity.

Despite being younger than its ceramic counterpart, this Yixing pot trumps it with its material. All thanks to its high level of porosity, Yixing clay is believed to be the go-to material for making teapots. This is especially true for Pu-er and Oolong lovers for you can't make the perfect pot of Pu-er or Oolong without a proper Yixing pot. Yixing clay is so important to the teapot-making craft that the Chinese government have restricted the mining of these special clay from 2005 - 2010 to conduct scientific studies and implement better control systems to ensure fair use and distribution of this precious material. Therefore, while it may seem like there is still an abundance of new Yixing teapot in the market, the concentration of authentic Yixing clay being used in making modern pots may not match their more vintage counterparts.

If you are interested in tea and would love to taste tea brewed with a proper Yixing pot, feel free to join us during our in-house tea-sessions here!

As part of our special feature for the upcoming 52nd birthday of Singapore, the lion city, we will be unveiling three beautiful vintage heroes, starting with this pair of coral red lions from the 1950's.

Lions statues have long been regarded by Chinese as a great protector and thus they are often seen on both sides of the entrance to Chinese homes, buildings and even temples. They are also commonly depicted with the lion on the right side holding a silk ball while the lioness on the left with a little baby cub. The silk ball symbolises the institution the lion is protecting and the cub, represents the people within the institution.

Early Chinese migrants who came to Singapore looking for a better life brought the same belief and practice here, thus vintage lions like the one featured have been very popular among locals even till today.

Today, this pair of lions sit patiently in our South Bridge Road boutique, ready to protect its adopters. 

More lions for our second national day special feature, this time around we introduce a pair of vintage peacock blue lions from the 1970's. Like our elegant blue roosters introduced earlier in the year, this pair of porcelain lions made in Jiangxi Jingdezhen (porcelain town of China) are painted with the distinctive and timeless peacock blue glaze.

Similar to the pair of coral red porcelain lions, this pair of vintage peacock blue lions not only adds a little zest to any space you place them at, they are also believed to have the ability to guard your home and the people living in it. From experience, a popular spot for them would be somewhere near your entrance where it becomes the first thing your sees when they enter your house. Not only will they help to welcome your guest into the house, they also double as bouncers to keep evil spirits and misfortunes at bay.

These lions are available in a range of sizes to suit any space, pay them a visit now at East Inspirations.

Happy 52nd Birthday to our Lion City, Singapore!

On this special occasion, we reveal a very special hero indeed. Our 48th Hero is none other than a vintage hand carved stone kang lion. What exactly is a kang lion and how is it different from the other lions we have introduced in our earlier features?

While they serve a similar purpose of providing protection, it is unique for it serves the little master of the house, babies. In order to understand what is a kang lion, we must first understand what is a kang. Simplistically speaking, the kang is an elevated wooden chair level day-bed used by the Chinese during winter or colder times of the year. The elevation creates insulation between the bed and the cold floor so the Chinese can get a good night sleep even in the coldest winter.

However, these elevated furniture is not so toddler-friendly and there is a risk of the baby falling over while they rest or play on the kang. Therefore, Chinese parents would place a heavy stone kang lion on the kang bed, tie one end of a string to the baby's ankle while the other to the kang lion. Other than serving as an anchor for the baby to prevent him/her from falling over, the kang lions also serves a playmate during the day and protector against evil spirits and nightmares during the night.

As such, the kang lions do not necessarily come in pairs like the other lions we have introduced earlier. They also come in varying sizes, sometimes even painted in colourful tones.

This brave guardian for your little ones is now available for viewing in our South Bridge Road storefront.

Our 43rd Hero is Liu Haichan of the five dynasties (907 AD – 960 AD). He is believed to have served as a grand councillor to the Emporer's Court during that turbulent era. He later turned to Taoism and became a respected and acclaimed Taoist practitioner.

However, most people remember him for his unique ability to tame and subdue the mythical three-legged-toad with nothing but a string of golden coins. Because of his association of the mythical creature, he is also often referred to as Hai Chanzi (Master Sea-Toad). The legend goes that the three-legged-toad spends its day searching and biting coins off the streets and it possessed the power to bless its owner with much wealth and fortune. Thus it is not uncommon to see figurines of the three-legged-toad in Chinese homes and businesses.

If you ready to boost your wealth, adopt your very own three-legged-toad now!

What is your shoe size? No matter how small we are pretty sure yours is not going to fit into our 44th Hero, the embroidered bound feet shoe. And yes, this beauty was meant for adults, not teens nor kids.

 The history of foot-binding in China goes back to the 10th Century under the reign of Emporer Li Yu. Both the shoes and the practice was said to have been made fashionable by a 10th Century dancer named Yao Niang, who performed for the Emporer in these special shoes shaped like a new moon. Soon, the elites of the society caught up with the trend and made it a symbol of status and affluence.

This practice persisted for centuries until 1950, when the communist government under Chairman Mao's charge issued a national ban for it. Besides the adverse health impact it brings, Mao believes the old tradition does not reflect well of the modern China he envisions. 

Today, the shoes are collected for the amazing embroidery work found on them. They were also called the "three inches golden lotus" as the pointy shoe tip resembles the tip of a lotus petal, and the ideal length of the feet was only three Chinese inches which convert to approximately four inches under the imperial measurement system.

*This hero has since been adopted.

Unveiling our 45th Hero, an antique Late Qing Dynasty flower shaped porcelain plate with hand-written "大清同治年制" period mark on the base. Occupying the centre stage this piece is none other than the golden pheasant, standing proudly only a cliff stone. Golden pheasants are often associated with the Pheonix as it is the closest living thing that resembles the majestic creature. The protagonist is accompanied by Peonies and Malus spectabilis by the side to form the auspicious "玉堂富贵" (yu tang fu gui) motif.

Malus spectabilis (海棠) represents high ranking in the office while Peonies (牡丹) represents prosperity, this combination wishes its owner progression in office, wealth and may he/she be among the nobilities as represented by the golden pheasant.

This piece belongs to the private collection of Mr Cheong, please make arrangement for special viewing to avoid dissapointment. 

Our 40th Hero is none other than Shou Xing (Longevity Star), a member of the popular Lucky Three Stars, also known as Fu Lu Shou (福禄寿). Shou Xing is a popular deity among the elders as he is associated with immortality and is depicted almost always with a peach. Similar to the Shou Xing himself, the peach is highly regarded by both Chinese and Japanese as they are often used to symbolise good health and longevity.

This vintage piece is carved out of Boxwood (黄杨木), a popular medium used in the 60's and 70's as a substitute to the now forbidden Ivory. They are well sought after their beautiful grains that resemble those found on Ivory. This well-carved piece depicting the Shou Xing sitting carefreely holding a giant heavenly peach makes the perfect gift for elder parents or grandparents celebrating their birthday.

Our 41st Hero has been called many names, but nonetheless, it is one of the most recognisable Chinese bronze sculpture ever uncovered. The Gansu Flying Horse, or sometimes simply referred to as the Bronze Flying Horse (铜奔马) was first uncovered in 1969, Wuwei city of the Gansu province. It was found among other burial pieces in an Eastern Han Dynasty (25AD-220AD) tomb. This amazing piece stands at 34.5mm tall, 45mm wide and 13mm depth. 

The discovery of this artistic bronze sculpture provides a good indication of the Chinese's advance development of their foundries. The combination of a strong and steadfast horse with an agile and delicate swallow is an expression of vigour with grace, no wonder it has earned so much popularity across centuries. It is such an important artifact that the Chinese government has included the Bronze Flying Horse into their list of 64 Grade-One Cultural Artifact that is restricted from overseas exhibitions.

For those with a horse or bronze collection, this beautiful replica piece with significance should have already made it's way into your must-have list. Visit us now to view this magnificent piece.

Have you figured how to use this uniquely shaped ceramic teapot? The hint to the secret our 42nd hero is keeping is in the fourth picture!

This interesting vintage piece from the republic's (1911-1949) era is shaped like a peach to symbolise good health and longevity. While we refer to it as a teapot, we do not think you can brew tea with it practically. Since it does not have a cover, water or brewed tea have to be poured into this special inverted pot by turning it upside down. The bottom reveals an opening where liquid can be poured in and it is designed in such a way when you flip it back with the right technique, none of the water will leak.

If you like to see this Hero in action, do visit us or better, join us for a complimentary tea session by making an appointment here!

*This Hero has since been adopted and brought back to China by an avid Teapot Collector, we still have one or two inverted teapot displayed in-store so act now if you are interested in this unique item. 

Introducing our first hero of the year, a pair of vintage lions crafted by artist Huo Lan 霍兰 (b. 1936) in the 1970's in Shiwan, China. Shiwan is known as the "Ceramic Capital of Southern China" and even till today, masterful pieces of ceramic sculptures and figurines are being crafted in this small town. 

Huo Lan was born into a family of ceramic artists, and she became a student of renowned ceramic master Liang Hua Fu (梁华甫) at the age of 14. She is best known for her creations of mythical creatures and animals, this pair of playful lions serves as a perfect testament to her ability to bring ceramic works to life.

Featured as poster boy for our RED SALE 2017 promotion is none other than the splendid vintage cinnabar red lacquerware of Peking, China.

Authentic Peking cinnabar wares were made by layering up to 120 thin lacquer coatings on top of each other. Natural lacquer was harvested from lacquer trees and mixed with ground cinnabar in the perfect proportion to achieve that magnificent crimson red. Every layer of lacquer requires 24 hours to dry, thus each piece can take up to 120 days to complete. Only after all layers are dried and well-formed will a skilful master craftsman will start carving on them.

Vintage cinnabar wares are also characterised by the enamel coating on the inside and on the base. They are also typically made with a brass base, hence the brass rims on the top and bottom.

This finely crafted piece has rugosa roses carved on one side and peonies on the other to represent nobility, prosperity, peace and happiness. 

This 3 tiered wood and cane woven basket was primarily used by the Straits Chinese communities (commonly known as the Peranakans) during wedding rituals and ceremonies. The version presented here is lacquered in red and black with floral decorations gilded in gold on the side and the cover.

The colloquial name "Bakul Siah" is derived from a combination of Malay and Hokkien (a Southern Chinese dialect) language which directly translates to "basket auspicious".

The origin of the peacock blue glaze can be traced back to the ancient civilizations of western Asia. This alluring blue glaze was introduced into China between the Tang and Song dynasty (7th-13th Century) and has since been well received among Chinese potters and merchants.

As a special welcome for the year of the Rooster, a pair of vintage peacock blue porcelain roosters made between 1970's and 80's is featured as out 4th Hero. While many antique and vintage pieces glazed in peacock blue are typically monochrome, the purple glaze on the crown and wattle together with light yellow glaze on the beak and claws complement the blue gracefully.

This would make a perfect gift for collectors of Roosters as well as those born in the Rooster year.

Apart from being a favourite in Chinese restaurants, fish (鱼) is a popular theme among Chinese artist. A fish is considered an auspicious creature in Chinese folklore and is believed to have the ability to bring an abundance of wealth. Similar to the pair of Red Lions featured last week, this ceramic fish is made in Shiwan, China. 

This affordable modern creation is the perfect addition to your house for the upcoming Chinese New Year. These handcrafted fishes are available in different sizes and colors, do drop by our store to find out more!

Another tribute to the year of the Rooster is this beautiful vintage porcelain vase made in the 1980's from Jingdezhen (Jiangxi, China). Records show Jingdezhen has been producing porcelain pieces since the 6th Century and was appointed as the imperial kiln for Chinese palaces during the Ming Dynasty (14th Century) and through the Qing Dynasty (17th Century). Even up till today, masterful pieces from Jingdezhen are highly sought after by collectors with a keen eye.

This particular piece is painted with a rooster, a hen, three baby chicks and a grasshopper in the fields. It is also marked with "jiang xi porcelain industries" (江西瓷业公司) on the base and glazed with turquoise on the inside.

A beautiful piece that makes a good addition to any porcelain or rooster collection. A great gift for those born in the year of the Rooster.

*This hero has been adopted.

While in Chinese culture fish are adored as symbol of abundance, the Carp has to be one of the favorite species. The Chinese name for Carp shares similar pronunciation as profit, strength and power, thus making it a popular subject in Chinese art and crafts. 

This particular piece is made of brass with a beautiful silvery gold finish, making it a perfect addition for your house or office.

We are counting down to the Rooster year with another magnificent piece from the Qing Dynasty. This 19th century famille rose hexagonal bowl is marked and made in the Daoguang period (1820 - 1850). It is painted with three roosters playing in a field of flowers and butterflies on the outside. On the inside it is decorated with motifs of magpies, peonies, peaches and bats to bring its owner happiness, prosperity, longevity and fortune respectively.The unique hexagonal shape is a pure beauty to look at and definitely no easy feat even for masters of the mid-Qing period.

*This Hero is part of Mr Cheong's private collection and is not usually kept in the store, for viewing, please make an appointment with us to avoid disappointment.

We would like to take the opportunity to wish everyone a prosperous lunar new year with our 9th Hero, a canton ware rooster jar. This colourful famille rose piece embodies the unique characteristics of pieces made in the Canton region. Most of the pieces made in this region is destined for the western market, hence the popularity of the Canton Ware among many western collectors. 

This jar depicts four roosters playing in a field of flowers, butterflies and Chinese cabbage. The combination of rooster and Chinese cabbages symbolises "升官发财", meaning to make great progress in one's career and to receive a big windfall. 

*This hero has been adopted.

We unveil our 10th hero, a Teochew Ceramic Laughing Buddha on the 7th day of Lunar new year* to wish everyone a happy and blessed birthday!

The laughing buddha is very popular in Chinese homes and offices as the Chinese regards it as a symbol of happiness and wealth. Large laughing buddha statues are commonly found outside temples and even shops where visitors are welcomed to rub the Buddha's tummy in order to receive his blessings.

The piece featured here was made during the early 20th Century in the Teochew region with beautiful ivory white ceramic. The Laughing Buddha is depicted with his iconic benevolent smile resting on a cloth sack with beads held in his left hand.

*The 7th day of lunar new year is also known as "人日", the birthday of all mankind. 

A staple in any oriental themed home, our eleventh hero needs little introduction. While the "囍" (double happiness) character is believed to have been coined in the Song Dynasty (11th Century), these jars were not made until the late 19th century.

The underglaze blue & white double happiness ginger jars were presented as a gift to wedding couples as it symbolises a blissful marriage. Despite being produced in large quantity during the 19th Century, a complete piece with the lid will still take some luck and patience to find. Thus making this timeless beauty a well-loved item among collectors and homeowners alike.

For those who are still hunting for that special Valentine's Day present, our 12th hero is here to help. A mint condition vintage Old Shanghai Jewelry Box from the 1920-40's.

The boxes were made in several variations while this particular piece comes with two doors and three drawers behind them. Hand-carved jade is also inlaid on the doors and the side of the box in addition to the beautiful brass pieces used to wrapped its corners. The drawer interior is wrapped with oriental red silk and the lowest drawer is designed to hold up to three rings.

A brass double-happiness accessory is attached to the top which serves as a handle for the box. The original miniature brass Chinese lock that comes with the piece also makes it extra special.

Unveiled just one day before Valentine's Day is our 13th Hero, an antique wooden kettle caddy. While these wooden caddies come in various design, this one is specifically featured to complement the season of love.

Besides protecting the water/tea kettle during transportation, an opening for the kettle spout is designed for the easy usage of the kettle while being protected in the container. A simple yet effective locking mechanism (see 4th picture) also helps to keep the cover in place during operation.

Once again we see the ever popular double happiness character which we first featured with our blue & white ginger jars, suggesting that this piece may have been part of a dowry. Double happiness is carved on the caddy's body to wish the couple a blissful marriage while the pomegranate carving on the handle blesses the couple with fertility and abundance.

*This Hero has been adopted by a local collector, similar wooden kettle caddies with different design are available for viewing in store. 

Our Valentine's Day hero is none other than this gorgeous set of Traditional Korean Wedding Ducks. In Korean culture, the wedding ducks represent peace, children and an everlasting bond. In the past, the Korean man who wishes to marry the lady will bring a pair of the ducks to the bride-to-be's family. The ducks will then be brought to the wedding ceremony by the bride and finally into the home of the couple to bless them with a blissful marraige.

Our 15th hero, the eldest member among the widely known Eight Immortals (八仙) is none other than Zhang Guo Lao (张果老). He was born in the Tang Dynasty (A.D 618 - 907)  and is often depicted riding a white mule while holding his emblem, the fish drum (鱼鼓) in his hand. Zhang Guo Lao is well regarded in Chinese culture and families like to display images of him in the room of their elderly parents hoping to bring them health and longevity.

This colourful ceramic figurine featured here is made during the Republic's period (1912- 1949) in Teochew region. It belongs to a set of eight figurines which will be duly introduced in the following days so stay tuned for more!

As a continuation to our Eight Immortals series, we introduce our 16th Hero, Tie Guai Li. He is often portrayed with an unkempt image and he walks with an iron crutch due to his lame right leg. This explains his name Tie Guai Li as it literally translates to "Iron Crutch Li".

Despite his looks and reputation for being hot-tempered, Tie Guai Li is highly regarded among Taoist and Chinese alike as there are numerous stories and accounts that exhibits his benevolent side. The gourd that he always carries with him is believed to contain powerful pills and medicine which he uses to help the poor and ill. 

This colourful ceramic figurine featured here is made during the Republic's period (1912- 1949) in Teochew region. It belongs to a set of eight figurines which will be duly introduced in the following days so stay tuned for more!

Zhongli Quan, more commonly known as Han Zhongli is featured as our 17th Hero and the third Eight Immortals to be introduced in this mini-series. He was given the name "Quan" by his parents as they wish for him to be someone of power and influence in the future. True enough he became a successful general who served in the Han court and led several important battles against the Tibetans.

Unfortunately, during one of his less successful battles against the Tibetans, he was forced into the mountains for hiding. It was there where a mysterious old man taught him immortal rituals and the art alchemy.

He carries a magical fan as his emblem which he uses together with his newly acquired knowledge in alchemy to help and poor and needy. His dedication to improving the lives of the needy and continuous act of kindness helped him earned the respect of the people, which helped him earned his place among the Eight Immortals.

This colourful ceramic figurine featured here is made during the Republic's period (1912- 1949) in Teochew region. It belongs to a set of eight figurines which will be duly introduced in the following days so stay tuned for more! 

Lü Dongbin is a Chinese scholar born in the Tang Dynasty. He is commonly depicted wielding his "yin-yang sword" which he uses to fight evil spirits and beings. Considered as the most popular among the Eight Immortals, many regard him as the de-facto leader of the heavenly group.

 He is the disciple of Zhongli Quan and many folks stories regarding his path to Taoism is still being told today. Among the stories, "Yellow Millet Dream" and the "Ten Trials of Lü Dongbin" best describe he became the disciple of Zhongli Quan and subsequently a respected member among the Eight Immortals.

This colourful ceramic figurine featured here is made during the Republic's period (1912- 1949) in Teochew region. It belongs to a set of eight figurines which will be duly introduced in the following days so stay tuned for more! 

Similar to Tie Guaili, it is unclear whether Han Xiangzi existed in real life or just in the mythical Chinese fables. However, many believed Han Xiangzi is the grandnephew of Han Yu, a respected poet and scholar of the Tang Dynasty.

Han Xiangzi carries a powerful bamboo flute as his emblem which he uses to compose heavenly notes. Under the careful guidance of Lü Dongbin, Han learned the way of Taoism and used his powers to help those in need.

This colourful ceramic figurine featured here is made during the Republic's period (1912- 1949) in Teochew region. It belongs to a set of eight figurines which will be duly introduced in the following days so stay tuned for more! 

Cao Guojiu lived in the Song Dynasty and his name Guojiu (literally translate to "imperial brother-in-law") explains his relationship with Emporer Zhao. Unlike the righteous and kind hearted Cao Guojiu, his younger brother Cao Jingzhi is notorious for abusing his power and wealth and even got away with murder. 

Ashamed of his brother's evil deeds, he gave up his lavish life to practise Taoism in the mountains. Under the tutelage of Zhongli Quan and Lü Dongbin, he soon joined the ranks of the Eight Immortals and are well-loved by Taoist.

This colourful ceramic figurine featured here is made during the Republic's period (1912- 1949) in Teochew region. It belongs to a set of eight figurines which will be duly introduced in the following days so stay tuned for more! 

Lan Caihe is arguably the most interesting and yet the least known immortal among the group of eight. So little is known of Lan Caihe that until today, his/her gender is still a topic of contention. Often depicted in ragged clothes and tattered shoes, Lan Caihe enjoys his/her simple lifestyle on streets. On days where he/she gets more than needed from busking, he/she would distribute to others living off the streets.

He/she holds a flower basket filled with magical and powerful fruits and flowers as his/her emblem.

This colourful ceramic figurine featured here is made during the Republic's period (1912- 1949) in Teochew region. It belongs to a set of eight figurines which will be duly introduced in the following days so stay tuned for last immortal to be revealed!

Ending the Eight Immortal series we have He Xiangu, the only female member of the famous Eight Immortals. She is born in the Tang Dynasty and an immortal visited her in her dream when she was in her teens. In the dream, the immortal showed her the way to immortality which she promptly adhered and followed upon waking up.

Known for being a filial daughter, she used the power she acquired to care for her elderly parents, providing them with only the best fruits and herbs she can find with her magic. She holds the lotus as her emblem which believed to possess the power to help cultivate one's moral character.

Our 23rd Hero, the Fengshui Luopan is the grandfather of all the compass we see in the market today. It is believed that the Chinese first invented the instrument for the divination purposes, where Fengshui masters of the past used this device to advise people about where and how to build their houses. The Chinese, especially practising Taoist believes that features (doors and windows) and decors (vases, clocks etc.) of the house should be placed in specific places as advised by the Fengshui master in order to attract luck, peace and harmony for the family. Up till today, Fengshui has been widely practised in many Chinese societies and is gaining popularity among Western societies as well. 

The markings found on this vintage piece featured here has been hand-written by skilful old masters.  A good quality traditional Fengshui Luopan should be made with Xiang Fei wood for its unique ability to absorb ink properly. This ensures characters written and drawn on the Luopan are clear and vivid for an accurate reading.

Other than using it as a tool for divination, Chinese businessmen and homeowners love displaying a Fengshui Luopan in their house or office as they believe it can help to dispel evil and attract positivity.

Stay tuned as we introduce more original and cultural pieces in our 108 Heroes series. You are also always welcomed to visit us at our Chinatown Shophouse Shopfront for a first-hand encounter with our Heroes.

For those who just can't get our of bed on time, our 24th Hero is here to help. This vintage ceramic pillow, yes pillow, is finished with rustic yet elegant celadon green glaze. Darker shades of green glaze were also freely applied on it's five exposed sides to give this vintage piece extra character. One the front, four ovals cut-outs surrounding a diamond cut-out creates an auspicious Chinese coin motif to bless its user with wealth and harmony. A big round cut-out was also made at the back which was commonly used a storage for valuables, especially so when it is not uncommon for these pillows to be used in opium parlours.

Ready to bring one home? Check it out in our online boutique now!

Our 25th Hero spots the iconic Mille Fleurs design which first appeared between Yongzheng and Qianlong period and regain much popularity during Guangxu and Republic period. Mille Fleurs is the French expression for "thousand flowers decoration" and the Chinese often refer to this style as "百花不落地" (bai hua bu luo di) which literally translates to "hundred flowers not fallen on the ground". 

This small olive-shaped antique Mille Fleurs vase featured here was most probably made in the Republic period. The colours of this famille rose piece is bright and vibrant, typical of pieces made in this period. However the Mille Fleurs differs from those of early Qing where they were the flowers were more densely painted. Instead of an apocryphal reign mark (usually Qianlong mark), this piece carries a kiln/artist mark "宋興義造" (Song Xing Yi Zao). 

Right at the rim of the beautiful vase, we can also find a lively prancing dragon and bat duo. The dragon represents nobility while the bat is well-known for its association with fortune and luck. 

*This Hero has been adopted and moved to his new home in Australia.

Introducing our 26th Hero, a vintage eggshell porcelain cup. Chinese ceramics that were made exceptionally thin like the one featured here are often referred to as Eggshell Porcelain. As its name suggests, the porcelain is made so thin that light passes through it like eggshell. 

Traditional eggshell porcelain can date all the way back to Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty (A.D. 1402-24) and there were pockets of the resurgence in production of the eggshell porcelain in later parts of Ming as well as the Qing dynasty.

The production of eggshell porcelain typically requires 2 firing stages in the kiln. First, a plain vase is set into the kiln to fix the form. After the master painters have decorated the plain vase, it is set into the kiln for the second and final time. During any of the production stage, these fragile pieces are subjected to high risk of damage. Every completed piece is a reflection of the artist's determination and dedication to the craft. Their desire to create such magnificent beauty has made feather-light Eggshell porcelain pieces a heavy-weight in traditional Chinese ceramics.

"Be Kind to all creatures; this is the true religion. -Buddha"

As a special feature for Vesak Day, we introduce our 27th Hero, a peaceful sculpture of Gautama Buddha in white alabaster. Siddharta Gautama, more commonly referred to as "Buddha" is believed to be born during 563 BC or 480 BC. His teachings have great influence and form the core of the Buddhism being practised today. 

The sculpture here depicts Buddha in the Earth Touching position where his legs are crossed, right hand facing inwards touching the earth and left hand rested on the lap with the palm facing up. This particular posture captures an important episode of Buddha's path to enlightenment when a demon appeared and is determined to distract Buddha from achieving his goal. However, the demon's evil intentions did not succeed and by touching the ground with his right hand, he called for the Earth Goddess as the witness to his enlightenment and the evil demon is subsequently swept away by the Goddess power.

Tips on displaying Buddha Statues:

Best to place Buddha statues in the living and study room. Avoid bedroom, kitchen and toilet. As much as possible, place the statue above your eye level, setting the sitting Buddha statue in the floor may be considered disrespectful.

To celebrate the greatest women of all time, Mothers, we introduce our 28th Hero, a pair of mother and child owl porcelain figurine. In various ancient civilisations and cultures, owls have been used as a motif and symbol of wisdom and mystery. In Greek mythology, the Goddess of Wisdom Athena is often depicted with a little owl, thus the reference and association. While in Japan, Owls are regarded as a symbol of good fortune and believe Owls can protect them from hardships.

Much like how Japanese believe the Owls has the ability to protect them from hardship, the duo featured here depicts a Mother owl shielding her precious youngling with her own wings. Don't our mothers make us feel like the most fortunate one whenever they are around us?

Only experienced master sculptors are able to create porcelain piece of such details and life. The bright and vibrant colours on this intricate porcelain piece can are achieved by firing them with a special technique in extra high temperature. 

This Hero is now available for adoption online here!

Our 29th Hero is one of the most majestic and greatest mums of all time, Elephants. Not only do they carry the world's heaviest baby (approximately an average of 100kg) in their womb for 22 months before delivering, elephant calves are extra needy as they are born blind and relies on their trunk and great mothers for survival.

Back to the beautifully hand-crafted vintage Khmer silver box shaped a sitting elephant with a raised trunk. These small boxes were typically used for betel nuts and in some cases to keep tobacco and medicine. It is also not uncommon to see these animal-shaped boxes to be used in important religious ceremonies and weddings. Today, this boxes serves as both an exquisite display piece as well as a secret hideout for your small jewellery.

On Mother’s Day 2017, we unveil another supermom from the animal Kingdom, the Polar Bear. Female polar bears are forced to be supermoms as their male counterparts seldom make good Dads. Similar to elephant calves, baby polar bear cubs are born blind and toothless. Therefore, they rely on their supermoms for survival. In some cases, these supermoms even have to protect their cubs from other hungry male polar bears!

This 1980's vintage polar bear sculpture is hand-carved from a piece beautiful natural marble-like soapstone. It is being set on a black stand which helps to bring more contrast and character to the piece. This piece would be a perfect addition to any polar bear or stone sculpture collection.

While most people consider Crickets as more a pest than a pet, the Chinese have been keeping this unlikely pet for fighting and singing competitions from as early as the 12th Century. Our 31st Hero, the Red Lion Porcelain Cricket Box may just have been a luxury home for a heavy-weight cricket fighting world champion.

The Red Lion motif originated during the late Qing period when Empress Dowager was effectively ruling the Qing court behind the scenes. The red lion is believed to be a representation of her pet, the Pekingnese dog. The Empress Dowager gave her dog the title "太师少保" which equals in authority to a mid-level minister of the Qing court, thus they are also referred to as lions rather than dogs.

The piece featured here is made in the winter of 1915 as indicated by the writing one the back. It has holes on the cover to provide ventilation for the pet cricket and the cut-outs are shaped like Chinese coins to represent wealth. The box also takes the shape of a typical gold or silver Chinese ingot, again to bring wealth and luck to the owner.

Our 32nd Hero is yet another humble abode for the singing Chinese bush crickets. Gourds of different shapes and sizes are dried and emptied on the inside to make it the perfect home for these primma donnas of the insect world. Unlike us humans, the bigger the house does not necessarily mean the better, the acoustics is of utmost importance here. Experienced cricket enthusiasts will usually have several gourd cricket holder in a variety of shapes and sizes on hand to ensure they have the right one for their prized singing crickets.

For non-enthusiast, these holders are collected for their fine workmanship and carvings. The ventilation holes also make them a beautiful aroma diffuser when you pack them with an assortment of dried flowers.

The 33rd Hero to be featured on our 108 Heroes series, the snuff bottle, was first made exclusively for the Imperial family and officials of the Qing court. This exclusive miniature play-thing soon grew popular among the affluent who enjoyed the tobacco snuff as well as the association these little status symbols bring with them. 

Since they are meant to be carried around, they are usually shaped to fit the hand comfortably and are seldom made taller than 3 inches. While this exquisite piece featured here is made with a tri-colour overlay on white glass, these pint-sized works of arts were being carved out from jade, wood, lacquer, ivory and even a combination of the above.

The piece here depicts two pairs of mandarin ducks swimming carefreely in a lotus pond. Mandarin ducks are often associated with romance and blissful marriage in the Chinese culture while Lotus are regarded as a symbol of peace and harmony.

On the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, Chinese around the world celebrates "Duan Wu Jie" by enjoying handmade glutinous rice dumplings and organising dragon boat competitions. This festival would not have existed without our 34th Hero, Qu Yuan.

Qu Yuan was born during the Warring States period of ancient China (343 BC), he was a celebrated poet and loyal subject of the Chu (楚) Court. At the brink of his country's collapse due to corruption and injustice, he tied himself to a heavy rock and threw himself into the Miluo River of Hunan. When the people heard that he threw himself into the river, they spent days and night looking for his body but to no avail. Out of desperation, they start drumming and throwing rice into the river to prevent the fishes and creatures in the river from feeding on Qu Yuan's body.

Thus, to commemorate Qu Yuan's love and loyalty for his country, Chinese has been making delicious rice dumplings and competing in dragon boat competition.

The Qu Yuan sculpture featured here is a vintage ceramic piece made by masters in Shiwan, China during the 1950's. It is part of the Owner's private collection is now available for viewing in the shop.

*This hero belongs to Mr Cheong's private collection and is not available for sale, you may however view it at our 233 South Bridge Road outlet.

Remember our 10th Hero, a Teochew Ceramic Laughing Buddha? Today we introduce our 35th Hero, a Bamboo version of the ever popular Laughing Buddha. The piece featured here is depicted holding a golden ingot on his right hand, and the famous treasure-filled sack in left. The laughing Buddha's association with wealth, happiness and contentment makes it a popular item in Chinese homes and offices.

For more modern-styled homes, this bamboo laughing Buddha with its naturalistic styling will be the perfect addition to an inspiring and happy living space.

Our 36th Hero is a set of vintage porcelain horses from the 1970's. Similar to our 4th Hero, the pair of vintage porcelain roosters, these horses are glazed in the charming and iconic peacock blue colour.

There are many versions of the legend regarding the eight horses, but all describes them to be a magnificent and elegant beast that will help bring its owner opportunities and success. The image of the Eight Horse is also well-liked by famous Chinese painter such as Xu Bei Hong (徐悲鸿) who drew the great "Ba Jun Tu" (八骏图).

The names of the horses:

Jue Di (绝地) - Its hooves never touches the ground, it gallops so fast as if it were flying

Fan Yu (翻羽) - Gallops faster than the birds in the sky

Ben Xiao (奔宵) - Possesses great stamina to travel ten thousand miles without resting

Zhao Yin (超影) - Chases the shadow of the Sun with its amazing speed

Tu Hui (逾辉) - The colour of its fur is so vibrant it glows as it gallops

Zhao Guang (超光) - Its lighting speed makes ten shadows everytime it runs

Teng Wu (腾雾) - Gallops among the clouds

Xie Yi (挟翼) - Gallops so fast as if it had wings

So which is your favourite horse?

Our 37th Hero, the Apsara is a prominent character in both Hinduism and Buddhism mythology. They are often regarded as the angels in various Asian cultures and it is not uncommon for them to be called different names in among different Asian communities. Despite being called different names, all the stories we have heard about them describes the Apsaras to be the most beautiful celestial dancers who often grace the celestial courts with their dance and art. Some Southeast-Asian cultures also believe they have the ability to control luck and fortune, which explains their popularity in Asian-inspired home decor.

This pair of vintage wood carved Apsara was made in Mid 20th Century Burma. Their costumes are painted in gold and decorated with elaborate carvings, shimmering glass of various colours were also added to give this pair a little extra glamour.