Pun Design: Chinese bulbul + Two Punning Details: A pair of Chinese bulbuls in image imply the couple or the marriage; ‘bai tou 白头 white-headed’, of ‘bai tou weng 白头翁 Chinese bulbul’ (the white-headed-old-chap bird) can imply a ripe old …
Continue reading “May you both live together to a ripe old age in married bliss”
One day during Su Shi (苏轼, 1037-1101)’s exile in Huangzhou, Hubei province, his friend, Fo Yin (佛印, 1032-98) invited him and Huang Tingjian (黄庭坚, 1045-1105) to taste the ‘Peach-Blossom-Flavoured Vinegar’, made with a famous recipe inherited from the Tang dynasty …
Continue reading “Picture of Three Sours”
Pun Design: Persimmons + Apples + Quails Punning Details： The Chinese character ‘shi 柿’ in ‘shi zi 柿子’ for ‘persimmon’ can pun on ‘shi 事’ for ‘things’. The repetition of ‘shi’ as ‘shi shi 事事’ means ‘everything’. The word ‘ping …
Continue reading “May you live in harmony”
According to Confucian ethics, a man’s ambition and pride need to be balanced by humility. General Lian Po (廉颇, active 298–236 BC) and Minister Lin Xiangru (蔺相如, active ca. 279 BC) were colleagues in the government of the state of …
Continue reading “General Lian Po and Minister Lin Xiangru burying the hatchet”
Pun Design: long-tailed pheasant + quail Punning Details: The combination of the first and third words in ‘chang wei zhi 长尾雉’ for ‘long-tailed pheasant’ is ‘chang zhi’ and it puns on the phrase ‘chang zhi 长治’ for ‘long-term good …
Continue reading “May the country enjoy peace and good order permanently”
Pun Design: Quail + Long-tailed Pheasant Punning Details: The word ‘an 鹌’ in ‘an chun 鹌鹑’ for ‘quail’ makes a pun on ‘an 安’ for ‘peace’. The combination of the first and third words in ‘chang wei zhi 长尾雉’ for ‘long-tailed …
Continue reading “May the country be in peace and order forever”
Pun Design: Quails + Cereal Plant Punning Details： The word ‘an 鹌’ in ‘an chun 鹌鹑’ for ‘quail’ makes a pun on ‘an 安’ for ‘peace’. The word ‘he 禾’ for ‘cereal plant’ makes a pun on ‘he 和’ for …
Continue reading “May you enjoy peace and harmony”
Pun Design: Quails + Chrysanthemum Punning Details: The word ‘an 鹌’ in ‘an chun 鹌鹑’ for ‘quail’ makes a pun on ‘an 安’ for ‘peace’. The word ‘ju 菊’ in ‘ju hua 菊花’ for ‘chrysanthemum’ puns on the word ‘ju …
Continue reading “May you live in peace and leisure”
Zhang Chang (张敞, ?- 48 BCE) and his wife grew up in the same village. When they were both children, Zhang Chang once threw a pebble at his future wife and, unfortunately, the scratch left a scar on one of …
Continue reading “Zhang Chang Painting His Wife’s Eyebrows”