Two flower-like butterflies on the top of a fish surrounded by one phoenix and different fruits and vegetables, such as pomegranates, persimmons, peaches, melons and various flowers. The butterfly motifs employed in Chinese art often play on homophones; yu (fish) is a homophone for wealth and abundance. The pomegranate implies many descendants, and the persimmon (shi) is a homophone for "everything". The basic message of this medallion is to be wealthy in all aspects.
A baby bag designed with a peony and phoenix motif. Made of appliquéd cotton on white cloth, framed on four sides by dark blue cotton and lined with lighter blue cotton cloth. Attached are two blue cotton bands.
A tiger is smartly appliquéd around the neck of this apron. This kind of guardian spirit image tends to be striking in order to scare off evil spirits. On the front pocket is the design of yi tuan he qi (great harmony and happiness) which the Chinese use as a way of wishing for concordance with others. Yi tuan he qi is represented here as a happy monk, in the shape of a yuanbao (shoe-shaped gold ingot). Yi tuan he qi is also sometimes presented as a boy or a girl.
In China, in order to protect children, parents often make children, particularly boys, wear clothing with images of guardian spirits. The most common animal spirits are tigers and lions. The image on the back of this vest is most likely a lion. It also has a persimmon joined to its tail, which implies that everything will be protected by the lion. Another interesting characteristic of this object is that the lion was arranged on the back of the vest. Since the head of the lion faces the same direction as the head of the boy, the guardian spirit lies on the back of the boy and is embodied in the boy.
29.5cm x 33.2cm Sichuan Province Han Chinese Cotton 2724.234767
This cloth, composed of polychrome silk thread cross-stitch on navy blue cotton, depicts four pairs of lions playing with a ball around a central square.
The square-shaped bibs found in the Schuster Collection at The Field Museum were probably first made as handkerchiefs or cloths. They were then cut out and tailored as a baby bibs. If they were originally made for bib, they were at least modeled on handkerchief-shaped cloths. One can see this because some of the pattern was cut off in the middle. A thicker cloth was attached to the collar and two knot-buttons were added to the lower part (or the back when in use). Four strings on the tips of four corners were designed to be tied under the baby’s arms.
The square-shaped bibs found in the Schuster Collection at The Field Museum were probably first made as handkerchiefs or cloths. They were then cut out and tailored as a baby bibs. If they were originally made for bib, they were at least modeled on handkerchief-shaped cloths. One can see this because some of the pattern was cut off in the middle. A thicker cloth was attached to the collar and two knot-buttons were added to the lower part (or the back when in use). Four strings on the tips of four corners were designed to be tied under the baby’s arms.
The square-shaped bibs found in the Schuster Collection at The Field Museum were probably first made as handkerchiefs or cloths. They were then cut out and tailored as a baby bibs. If they were originally made for bib, they were at least modeled on handkerchief-shaped cloths. One can see this because some of the pattern was cut off in the middle. A thicker cloth was attached to the collar and two knot-buttons were added to the lower part (or the back when in use). Four strings on the tips of four corners were designed to be tied under the baby’s arms.
Chinese favorable phrases become decoration. From left to the right are: yipin dangchao (top rank official in court); jinyu mantang (one’s house filled with gold and jade / wealthy with vast riches); fugui shuangquan (possessing both riches, honor, wealth and rank); changsheng bulao (perpetual rejuvenation); songbai tongnian (live as long as pine tress and cypresses).
38.3cm x 38.0cm Sichuan Province Han Chinese Cotton 2724.234193
A pair of women’s trousers. The bottom band is decorated with a stylized floral scroll work. The middle contains a repeated landscape of tree, pavilion, and bridge.
The front of this vest is decorated with lions and tigers under two flower vases and butterflies. (This is the first piece that Schuster collected in western China).
On the front of the vest a goat and two peacock-like birds with their fully-spread tails form a central medallion. Below, the middle medallion consists of a design of the A Fu, which literally means "Happiness" in Chinese and appears on many of the Schuster collection objects. It is also called yituan heqi or "great harmony and happiness". The Chinese use this idea as a way of wishing for concordance with people all round. A Fu is the name for the same figure in the southern part of China. The idea of concordance with people all around was pictorially transformed into a round-shaped design, as the one that appears on this vest. Sometimes A Fu appears as a boy and a girl together.
This handkerchief depicts a vase with an artemisium leaf containing a woman and a “banana fan” with a boy inside. A third figure stands to the side, along with a crane and deer.
A man rides on a white horse, indicating that he is a zhuang yuan, the winner of the imperial exam. On the top of the medallion, two ladies stand on the clouds; they are fairy ladies coming down to the human world. This scene encourages people to achieve success in the imperial examination and suggests that if one comes in first in the imperial exam, any miracle can happen. Fairies may even come down from the heavens.
This bolster cover is decorated with the pattern of a wedding procession. Compared to a similar pattern on a bed valance from the Schuster Collection, this design is quite elaborate. The bride's dowry is represented in intricate detail. From the varied furniture to the huge trunks and cases, people can get a sense of the kind of dowry present at a grand wedding.
