The Art of Napkin Folding – Fan Fold

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The Story Behind the Chinese Zodiac

The Jade Chinese Zodiac Bracelet

From left to right: Snake, Dog, Tiger, Rooster, Dragon, Ox, Monkey

Clockwise: Rabbit, Sheep (goat or ram), Rat, Pig, Horse

Hello, friends! I would like to feature the interesting and well-known stories behind the Chinese Zodiac and how each year is named after the twelve animals. All the animals are featured in a jade bracelet.

 The 12 Zodiac animal signs (生肖 shengxiao) are, in order, the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep (ram or goat), monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. There are many legends to explain the beginning of the zodiac. One of the most popular reads, in summarized form, as follows:

The rat was given the task of inviting the animals to report to the Jade Emperor for a banquet to be selected for the zodiac signs. The cat was a good friend of the rat, but the rat tricked him into believing that the banquet was the next day. The cat slept through the banquet, thinking that it was the next day. When he found out, the cat vowed to be the rat’s natural enemy for ages to come.

Interestingly, the cat does make it into the Vietnamese Zodiac, in place of the rabbit (see below).

Another popular legend has it that a race was used to decide the animals to report to the Jade Emperor.

The cat and the rat were the worst swimmers in the animal kingdom. Although bad swimmers, they were both intelligent. They decided that the best and fastest way to cross the river was to hop on the back of the ox. The ox, being a naïve and good-natured animal, agreed to carry them across. However, overcome with a fierce competitiveness, the rat decided that in order to win, it must do something and promptly pushed the cat into the river. Because of this, the cat has never forgiven the rat, and hates the water as well. After the ox had crossed the river, the rat jumped ahead and reached the shore first, and it claimed first place in the competition.

Following closely behind was the strong ox, and it was named the 2nd animal in the zodiac. After the ox, came the tiger, panting, while explaining to the Emperor just how difficult it was to cross the river with the heavy currents pushing it downstream all the time. But with powerful strength, it made to shore and was named the 3rd animal in the cycle.

Suddenly, from a distance came a thumping sound, and the rabbit arrived. It explained how it crossed the river: by jumping from one stone to another in a nimble fashion. Halfway through, it almost lost the race but the rabbit was lucky enough to grab hold of a floating log that later washed him to shore. For that, it became the 4th animal in the zodiac cycle. Coming in 5th place was the dragon, flying and belching fire into the air. Of course, the Emperor was deeply curious as to why a strong and flying creature such as the dragon should fail to reach first. The mighty dragon explained that he had to stop and make rain to help all the people and creatures of the earth, and therefore he was held back a little. Then, on his way to the finish line, he saw a little helpless rabbit clinging on to a log so he did a good deed and gave a puff of breath to the poor creature so that it could land on the shore. The Emperor was very pleased with the actions of the dragon, and he was added into the zodiac cycle. As soon as he had done so, a galloping sound was heard, and the horse appeared. Hidden on the horse’s hoof is the snake, whose sudden appearance gave the horse a fright, thus making it fall back and gave the snake 6th spot while the horse took the 7th.

Not long after that, a little distance away, the ram, monkey and rooster came to the shore. These three creatures helped each other to get to where they are. The rooster spotted a raft, and took the other two animals with it. Together, the ram and the monkey cleared the weeds, tugged and pulled and finally got the raft to the shore. Because of their combined efforts, the Emperor was very pleased and promptly named the ram as the 8th creature, the monkey as the 9th, and the rooster the 10th.

The 11th animal is the dog. His explanation for being late—although he was supposed to be the best swimmer amongst the rest—was that he needed a good bath after a long spell, and the fresh water from the river was too big a temptation. For that, he almost didn’t make it to finish line. Just as the Emperor was about to call it a day, an oink and squeal was heard from a little pig. The pig got hungry during the race, promptly stopped for a feast and then fell asleep. After the nap, the pig continued the race and was named the 12th and last animal of the zodiac cycle. The cat finished too late (thirteenth) to win any place in the calendar, and vowed to be the enemy of the rat forevermore.

In Buddhism, legend has it that Buddha summoned all of the animals of the earth to come before him before his departure from this earth, but only twelve animals actually came to bid him farewell. To reward the animals who came to him he named a year after each of them, the years were given to them in the order they had arrived.

This jade bracelet is now more meaningful and unique as you can enthrall your friends with the intriguing and mesmerising stories behind it.

The Jade Chinese Zodiac bracelet is available at:

http://www.tmour.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=45_49&products_id=338

 

Taken from www.wikipedia.org

A Hundred Years of Batik In Malaysia

 

A short history and great creativity can serve as catchwords for the commercial production of batik in Malaysia. Covering scarcely 100 years, this history has been full of life and movement. We know that Malays on the East Coast of the peninsula experimented with textile prints without wax in the early 1900s. In the 1920s people in the same area started using a technique with screen prints for fast and cheap production of decorated textiles. Around 1930 the ‘real’ batik production started, stamping with wax directly on the fabric. (Source: Arney 1987). Long before this production got started batik, especially from Java, was known and used in the area that is now Malaysia. The Malays learned the techniques and adopted the patterns from the Javanese. Still today elements of patterns from the Javanese textiles are continued and developed in many of the textiles that are produced by block printing as well as screen printing.

Copying and creativity
is another pair of catchwords fit to describe the production of batik in Malaysia. Even though the Javanese heritage is still visible, Malaysian producers have partly liberated themselves from it and developed their craft in new directions. This can be seen in technique and design as well as in the development of new types of products. In particular, the hand-painted batik from the late twentieth century represents an innovation, not least because it differs technically from the Javanese tradition of handdrawing. First, it is a simplification of the production process. Second, it opens up for more individual freedom and creativity; an entirely new design tradition has sprung up, one that is dominated by large motifs drawn freely on a plain-coloured background. A few textile artists emerge as remarkable innovators, and these are soon followed and copied by many others. To take one example, a type of silk scarf with floral motifs has lost its exclusivity, and although the scarves are attractive, they are easily perceived as stereotyped.

The dominant North-East
Two circumstances are vitally important in order to understand many aspects of the batik business in Malaysia. First, there is the dominance of the northeast, and second, the simple technology.

In the Northeastern States Kelantan and Terengganu industrial alternatives have been weakly developed; production and sale of batik have thus meant valuable opportunities for employment. The batik factories are particularly numerous around the major cities Kota Bharu and Kuala Terengganu.
The Malays make up more than 90 % of the population in these States, and production as well as trade in batik have been a Malay niche in the multiethnic Malaysian society. We see here a unique outlet for Malay enterprise in a society where other groups have tended to dominate trade and industry.

As far as Kelantan is concerned, the proximity to Thailand has been important economically as well as culturally. There has always been a brisk border trade. And in folklore as well as in handicraft traditions there are easily discernible connections. Batik has been exported from the East Coast States to the rest of Malaysia, although a considerable production has also sprung up on the West Coast. It remains to be said that the Malay dominance of batik is now about to dwindle in the West Coast States (se the page on the tourist market).

The strength of low technology
Another feature to be noted is the relatively simple and inexpensive production outfit as well as the organisation of the production process. Flexibility is the underlying strength of low technology. It is relatively easy to get started and easy to decrease the activity in slack periods without having to close down completely.

The factories, or workshops, are usually small family establishments, and part of the batik processing is often farmed out to women in the neighbourhood. In this way both loss and gain are spread. Moreover, a reservoir of skills is developed: a great number of people in the factory’s vicinity have a basic knowledge of batik production. The workshops can draw on this reservoir, and many skilled individuals can also make small amounts of handdrawn batik independently as a part time occupation (see also The tourist market).

State and market
By and large, the batik business has been driven forward by free enterprise and a free market. After Independence the authorities were eager to strengthen economic development, particularly in the Malay population, and these efforts were boosted when the New Economic Policy was launched in 1971. This has also effected the batik sector in several ways. The huge development programme MARA grants support to Malay entrepreneurship, and runs training institutions on nearly every conceivable occupational area.

Many batik artists have been educated at the MARA Institute of Technology. Kraftangan, another important Federal agency, co-ordinates and supports activities within arts and crafts. Kraftangan’s sales organisation is KARYANEKA, with departments and shops in most States. KARYANEKA partly seeks products actively from crafts producers, and partly accepts offers from producers if these pass certain criteria of quality.

But many batik producers and traders operate outside these State institutions, and there are also a number of private schools that train batik artists. Furthermore, a great deal of training still takes place through direct, practical participation in batik production, particularly within the smaller family concerns.

 Another unique product presented by www.tmour.com

All blooms and flowers carved in jade!

Yes, it is all blooms and flowers carved in jade – roses, lotus and many more. Jade is not just for feng shui but the intricate and modern designs makes it attractive even for the young. It exudes the asian charm and makes the jade pieces wearable for all occassions ! You will fall in love with them… And, they make great unique Mother’s day gift!

               

         

    

Piyao, an auspicious amulet

Hi friends, sorry for the long hiatus, I was busy getting www.tmour.com up and now it is all ready! I would like to present to you some of the interesting jade amulets. So sit back and enjoy….

Below are the symbolic meaning of piyao as an amulet. Wearing piyao gives us protection and brings us prosperity. It is especially more potent when carved in jade, as jade exudes a positive natural vibrations. 

“The Pi Yao is the heaven variation of a particularly powerful and auspicious creature of good fortune. He is said to have the power to assist anyone suffering from bad Feng Shui “

Extracted from wofs.com 

“The PiYao is a mystical creature that is an extremely powerful and auspicious amulet of good fortune, just behind the Dragon. It is said to have a voracious appetite that is infinite. The interesting part is that the PiYao does not have an anus, which means things only go in but never come out. It is therefore a favorite must-have for businessmen and merchants wishing loads of money rolling in without spilling out a dime. It is no wonder that the figurines of Pi Yau can often be seen in banks, casinos, foreign exchange markets and finance companies in Oriental countries.

Besides that, the Chinese adore the PiYao because of its protective, obedient and loyal nature. It is believed that the PiYao will always try its best to fulfill its owner’s wish and safeguard the health and welfare of its owner. “

Extracted from buy-fengshui.com 

You can go to www.tmour.com for more!

Amulet fashion accessories and the significance

Hi friends, as promised,  I have snapped some pictures and compiled the meaning and significance of some popular amulets for Chinese New Year. All these amulets are tastefully designed to cater to today’s modern society.

 

These auspicious Gold Fish symbolize prosperity, abundance of good fortune and marital bliss. A pair of Gold Fish also ensures joyous unions.

The Pi Yao is a mystical creature which is good as a protection amulet as well as it attracts good luck and wealth. 

 This interesting jade bracelet consists of all 12 animal zodiac in the Chinese Lunar Calendar.  Each year is being represented by an animal and it is believed that the person born in the year would have certain characteristics of the animal. Of course to know more about it, you can refer to Lilian Too.

The Wu Lo is one the most potent symbols of good health & longevity. A perfect gift for someone you care about and whose longevity and good health matters to you!- Lilian Too

Chinese Coins of course means prosperity for the wearer. Hanging Chinese Coins in significant locations are used to enhance money luck, thus wearing these “money” on your wrists definitely will bring you wealth luck this new year!

The Cicada is the most powerful symbol of immortality and an amulet against politics. It is also a symbol of happiness and youthfulness. Carrying an image of a cicada protects you from danger and disloyal friends.-Lilian Too

Any amulets of flowers signifies blooming opportunities!                                 

 The dragon is the ultimate symbol of auspiciousness. It is the most important symbol both in Feng Shui and in Chinese folklore. Double dragons grasping a pearl signifies power and authority.  This powerful symbol of good fortune also works extremely well for your business. – edited from Lilian Too