THIS week’s slideshow showcases a gilded display cabinet that is intricately carved with an array of Chinese motifs and symbolism. The owner, a Penangite, explained that the cabinet is over a hundred years old and is among a few units in Malaysia that is still fully intact. Upon further observation, one may notice that the cabinet includes drawers that boast many floral motives like the lotus and the peony, a four-corner side bracket on top of the unit with guardian foo lions crouched on each bracket, a qilin, and the ever-iimportant phoenix.

In the Chinese culture, these symbols and motifs all hold important roles in the course of one’s life. Read below for some explanations on the above mentioned:

• The lotus:  A symbol of purity, perfection and enlightenment.
• The peony: Heralded as the King of Flowers, it is regarded as an omen of good fortune.
• The guardian foo lion: An emblem of valour, energy and wisdom
• The phoenix: A symbol of peace and reason. (Source: Chinese Symbolism and Art Motifs: A Comprehensive Handbook on Symbolism in Chinese Art through the Ages)
• The qilin: Represented as an oxen-hooved animal with a dragon-like head surmounted by a pair of horns and flame-like head ornaments. A symbol of justice that only punishes the wicked.  (Wikipedia)

Reference

• Williams, CAS, 2006 (4th Edition) Chinese Symbolism and Art Motifs: A Comprehensive Handbook on Symbolism in Chinese Art through the Ages, Tuttle Publishing
• Qilin (Wikipedia)

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