Vadas József (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 11. (Budapest, 1991)

FERENCZY Mária: A modernizáció megjelenése a századeleji kínai ábrázolásokon

sides, on the right-hand rock is a magic mushroom (ling chili). Explanation: Hsi-wang-mu is a very ancient Chinese goddess, an important figure in popular religion, and the embodiment of the female principle. She lives at the western extremity of the world; magic peaches giving immortality grow in her orchard, bearing fruit once every three thousand years. She is personified as a dignified dame, accompanied mostly by ,jade-girls" (fairies) carrying magic peaches and a royal fan (cf. MASPERO: p.360-362.; BRED ON—MITR OPHAN

O W: p.231-234.). Shou-hsing is one of the star gods, the symbol of long (eternal) life. He can be recognized at once by his protruding forehead, his knotty staff and the peach held in his hand (cf. MASPERO: p.321-324.; ALEKSEIEV 1966: p.17.). The third day of the third month is the "Feast of Peaches", the birthday of Hsi-wang-mu, when a party is given by the goddess for the immortals who greet her on the terrace of her Jade Palace. She was celebrated in her temple in Peking as a patronness of long life (cf. TUN LICHEN: p.28.; BREDON—MITROPHANOW: pp. 231-234.). The main theme is stressed with many further details corroborating its magic power: beside the heaps of peaches, long life is indicated by the magical mushroom and the firs in the back-ground (cf. WILLIAMS: pp.328., 427.; EBERHARD: pp.288-289.);

24 richness by the banana leaf, one of the traditional treasures; fecundity by the lotus-leaves (even if used as boats); and peace by the vase as seen above. The taste of the makers of the print was less refined than that of the artists who produced the painting which served as its model: although the composition is wellbalanced and motion is aptly suggested, e.g. by the flutter of the drapery, the colouring of certain details makes no sense,

25 and the representation of the perspective on the drawing of both the terrace and the screen is inconsistent. Parallel cases: a picture similar in composition and style, (representing a meeting of immortals others than these): A YING: P.60.; WANG 1959: no.33.; the same theme in a different style: UNTERRIEDER p.46.

26 5. TWIN GODS OF LUCK Inventory no.: 89.40.1 Size: 30 x 44 cm Title: The Twins (and) Liu Hai (Ho Ho Liu Hai) Signature: Ai-chu-chai 27 Technique: block-printed with black and (over the hand-coloured parts) gold colours; hand-coloured with golden yellow, pink, lilac, claret, green, pale blue and deep blue, white colours and Chinese ink. A fine work on a high level; the contours are delicately drawn, the colouring of the faces is painstakingly well done. Condition: Rim frayed, the yellowish paper is stained; the mounting non-professionally done in Hungary. The quality of the colours is excellent: they are still vivid. Subject: two chubby youngsters (twins), between them a three-legged toad spewing coins. The youth on the left, clothed in a flowery robe with wide sleeves and with a black sash and bamboo-ornamented trousers, points at the toad with his left hand while stepping aside, with the right raising above his head a huge, holed coin with an inscription.

28 The twin brother, also in a flowery attire steps forward holding cautiously in both hands a big, round box with golden ornaments. Both have long, unbraided, floating hair held together by a band at the forehead which is inscribed with the character of long life (shou). Swastikas are visible on the tips of their footwear. The toad painted green-white-red holds a coin in its mouth, the flying coins