The Tingle Factor Box

It's So Beautiful - Crystal Lotus

Imagine, you are a Buddhist monk living China. It is Spring, and you are looking out over the massive ponds in the Temple gardens. Through winter, the ponds have been full of fish, but there has been nothing for the koi to hide under – the lotus has been dormant, lying in the mud awaiting the warmer weather. Now, the giant leaves have unfurled and the flower stalks begin to reach skywards. Soon, the expanse of the pond will be covered with the sacred flower.

When the children saw this beautiful crystal lotus flower, they were amazed. They had assumed it was simply a waterlily, and were surprised to discover it was something different and quite special. They had not seen something so delicate and yet ornate, and were stunned at the way the light caught in the prisms of the carefully cut petals. They were more amazed still to discover the story and history behind the lotus flower itself.

The lotus plant, and the flower it produces, is actually native to tropical Asia, and perhaps surprisingly to some, also parts of Queensland in Australia. The plant, which is an aquatic perennial (meaning it lies dormant during winter but regrows and flowers each year), is similar to the water lily but the flower does not float on the surface of the pond, standing well above the leaves, often several inches from the surface of the water. The lotus is also a very important plant, playing a central role in many distinct cultures. In ancient Egypt it was seen as a symbol of the sun and represented creation and rebirth. This was because at night the Egyptian lotus closes up and retreats back to the water, being reborn again at dawn, with the sun. It rose, pure and clean from the muddy waters and was seen as sacred.

In Buddhism the lotus flower is considered to be pure because of this ability to rise clean and beautiful from the murky depths, but also because it breaks free of the water, representing the breaking free of desire and the achievement of spiritual enlightenment. One sect of Buddhism, the Mahayana sect even believes that all souls are born from a lotus flower. In Hinduism the lotus also plays a role, representing beauty, fertility, eternity and spirituality and many of the Hindu gods and goddesses are actually associated directly with the flower. Lord Brahma for example is said to have been born from a lotus which grew out of the navel of Lord Vishnu. The lotus is also important to the cultures of specific countries though, and often this significance is born of the belief system historically associated with the culture. For example, the lotus is very important to Chinese culture, and in Beijing the lotus is rumoured to bloom on the lunar day of April 8, which is also the Buddha’s birthday. To the Chinese, whether Buddhist or not, the lotus is a special flower, representing purity and perfection. In fact, Moon Cakes, which are the symbolic food of the Chinese Moon Festival, actually have a paste made from lotus seed inside!

They're Amazing! Chinese Finger Paintings

Imagine you are a painter living in China in the mid 1900s. You enjoy your work, and particularly love to see the happy faces of your customers when they select a painting to decorate their homes. You are always grateful to the mentors and teachers who shared their knowledge and techniques with you. Painting such beautiful and intricate scenes with just your fingers is a skill which needs help in order to perfect after all!

When I showed the children these paintings, they were absolutely enthralled by their beauty. The paintings are only small, but the detail contained in them is amazing. The children were absolutely stunned though when I told them that these amazingly detailed paintings were painted just using the artists fingers and nails. They could not imagine having the skill and ability to paint in such a way and thought the artist must be an amazing painter.

When we think of finger painting, most people think of children and very primitive and basic forms of art with little detail and usually, little beauty. In the Western World, it is used for art therapy and as a way to teach children very basic art. Yet in China finger painting is very different and holds an important place in the history of Chinese art. Artists who finger paint in China use their fingers, hands, arms and fingernails to create artworks which can be incredibly beautiful and surprisingly detailed. These pictures were created using mainly the fingernails, the side of his hand and the fingertips.

Many people think that the art of Chinese finger painting dates back well over 1000 years to the Tang Dynasty. Certainly, the art form has a remarkably long history, though the author was unable to find any examples of paintings from this period. There is no doubt though that by the Qing Dynasty finger painting was being used as an art technique and this is when finger painting reached its height. This was also when Gao Qipei, the most famous of the finger paint artists lived. He was born in circa 1660 and although he worked as a government official for a time, he was more famous as a painter. It was Qipei who is first believed to have specially grown his nails to allow him to paint finer detail and his works, style and technique remain influential to those who use the technique today. Sadly, today finger painting is becoming rarer as a Chinese art form, but there are many who hope to revive the tradition.  

It Must Be A Paperweight - Chinese Stone Pomander Pendant

Imagine you are a lady living in China in the late 1800s. There are many unpleasant smells in the streets, and when you are out you are glad of your scent holder. It is a wonderful thing, a working toggle but also a beautifully carved perfume holder which is not only functional and beautiful, but smells so sweet, full of dried blossoms. You wouldn’t go anywhere without it.

When I showed the children this carved stone toggle, they were fascinated by it. They were amazed by the detail of the carving and couldn’t understand how anybody could make a hollow carving like this without damaging the stone. They could not understand what the carving was for though, and many assumed ‘it must be a paperweight’. One observant child noticed the hole in the top though and correctly guessed that the carving would have been worn, but they were all surprised to discover that such carvings could also be used to carry scents in order to mask unpleasant odours, and could also be used as a type of toggle – almost like a button. They were amazed to discover just how useful such an item could be.

Although this particular example is Chinese, beautifully carved and functional on many different levels, this item is representative of a scent holder and in the western world it would be referred to as a pomander. Throughout history and in many cultures, scented bags were used to mask unpleasant odours. As time went by though, many cultures began to create more elaborate scent holders which became known as pomanders. Many today think of a pomander as an orange studded with cloves, but although these did exist and were even used by poorer people, the upper classes carried a different type of pomander. These were little containers which could be made of stone, ceramic, ivory, wood or metal and sometimes they were even encrusted with jewels. Inside these containers were scented mixtures which could be made up of oils, resins, herbs and flowers. Some very expensive pomanders even had different segments, rather like an orange, which held different scents.

Pomanders are first mentioned in the west in the 13^th century. They were often worn on chains around the neck or at the waist (as the Chinese example I showed the children would have been). At this time, the streets were filled with unpleasant smells and the pomander was a way of warding off these. They were also thought to serve another purpose though – warding off disease. In fact during times of plague or epidemics of serious disease they were a common and important accessory. Some doctors even held their pomanders to their nose while treating the ill, thinking the scents would protect them. This was because people thought that disease was spread by terrible smelling air, so by masking the smells they could avoid getting sick (though of course, it didn’t really work). The pomander I showed the children is Chinese and would most likely have held dried flowers.

It's Amazing - Shadow Puppets

Imagine you are a child living in Indonesia. Tonight, you are very excited as your family is going to see the Theatre of Shadows. You love the shadow puppets, and the stories which they portray. One day, you would like to be a shadow puppeteer, but you think it must take a lot of skill to be able to make the puppets move so beautifully.

When I showed the children this shadow puppet they were amazed by it. Several of the children had seen shadow puppet theatre on holidays in Indonesia and Malaysia, but they had never seen an actual shadow puppet so close. They were amazed by the intricate detail of the puppet, and the beautiful painting. As one child pointed out “you don’t even see the painting when you watch them perform!”

Shadow puppetry is an ancient form of puppetry, which is still performed today in several Indonesian and Malaysian countries. It probably originated in China or India, and spread through other countries with the spread of Buddhism and Hinduism. The puppet I showed the children is a Javanese shadow puppet.  In Java shadow theatre is called Wayang Kulit which translates literally to ‘skin theatre’. This refers to the original shadow puppets which were made of specially prepared animal skin, usually of buffalo. These were intricately decorated with areas of the leather cut out with a sharp knife before the shadow puppet was beautifully painted. The puppet was painted because traditionally men sat on one side of the screen (and could see the painted puppet) while women sat on the other side of the screen, and saw the puppets shadow, lit from behind.

Javanese shadow puppet performances are extraordinary works of art, with performances often lasting for several hours (sometimes all night) and all of the puppets manipulated by a single puppeteer, the dalang. This puppeteer not only often controls two puppets with one hand, but also provides all the voices for the characters. Music accompanies the performances, provided by a gamelan orchestra, but the puppeteer often even controls this, conducting the orchestra and keeping time with a wooden hammer which is held between his toes!

Where Is The Seam? Chinese Puzzle Ball

Imagine you are living in the 1800s in China. You are a wealthy gentleman, with plenty of time to enjoy life. One of your pleasures is the collection of puzzle balls you have put together. Some of the balls only have three or four layers, but others have 10 or 12, all carved inside each other. Some are wood, others are ivory, or even the precious jade. You love trying to line all the holes up, a puzzle which can take hours, but the greatest puzzle of all is how the craftsmen are able to carve these amazing things!

When I took this jade puzzle ball (which is a modern one, not an antique) to show the children, they were very intrigued. Made from a yellowy white jade from the Guangzhou area, the ball has three separate pieces, all balls, which are layered inside each other. The children spent ages carefully turning the ball over, trying to find a seam where the ball was put together – they couldn’t imagine that someone could possibly have carved the balls inside each other without breaking the jade.

Chinese puzzle balls have been around for hundreds of years. Originally, they were made almost exclusively from ivory, or the tusks of elephants and were the playthings of rich men because of the time and effort involved in making them. Most balls have between 3 and 7 layers, but the largest known example is made up of 42 separate balls! Usually, puzzle balls are symbols of good luck, and are decorated with a variety of feng shui symbols. The outermost layer often features the phoenix and dragon, symbols of yin and yang. The phoenix represents the wife while the dragon is the husband and emperor, and balls decorated with these symbols are thought to bring good luck and happiness to a marriage. In fact, almost all of the symbols most commonly associated with puzzle balls are associated with ensuring a long and happy marriage. Some balls even have different symbols on different layers, though the most common is a highly decorative outer ball and ‘latticed’ balls inside (with geometric patterns of holes).   

Puzzle balls, which are sometimes called mystery balls, are made from a single piece of ivory, or whatever other material is being used. The mystery or puzzle which the name refers to is not actually the puzzle of trying to align the holes in the ball. In fact, people suggest you shouldn’t try to align the holes, because it all too often ends in damage to the fragile object. The puzzle is instead how the ball is created. The single piece of ivory, wood, stone or resin is first shaped into a smooth ball. This is then carefully carved by master craftsmen, who are able to carve the separate balls without ever making a break in the material. Even today, puzzle balls are so delicate and fragile that they have to be carved by hand. What’s more, the work begins with the smallest, middle ball and works out. Any mistake could ruin days, weeks or even months of work!

What's So Special? Turtle

Imagine you are on a trip to China. You are visiting all sorts of wonderful places, and seeing all kinds of wonderful things. One thing you notice in particular though. There are turtles all over the place – statues, paintings, and the real thing, living in ponds in parks and gardens. Why so many turtles you wonder. There must be something significant about these creatures, and you have to find out what it could be.

When I took these little Chinese carved turtles (one jade, one made of Camel Bone) to show the children, they thought they were very sweet, but wondered what was so significant about them. The children are used to seeing little animal figurines, but turtles usually don’t feature highly. They were surprised when I told them how important and common turtles were in China, and wondered why this was the case. They were amazed to discover that the animal actually was a symbol of something important and special, longevity, and were curious to find out more.

In Western culture, turtles and tortoises are not particularly important. We all recognise them, and of course know the story of the Tortoise and The Hare. We generally think of these animals as slow, patient, easygoing and even wise, but only when we bother to think of them at all. Yet in many cultures, including the Chinese culture, turtles and tortoises are much more significant. In China, the long lifespan of turtles, their slow movement, and sturdy appearing body make them a symbol of longevity and stability. In fact, according to Chinese legend, the creator Goddess, Nu Gua, cut the legs off a sea turtle and used them to prop up the sky after Gong Gong destroyed the mountain which had previously supported it. This legend is based around the idea that a turtles shell resembles the way Chinese people used to think of the world as shaped – a flat Earth with a domed sky.

Tortoises in China hold a similar position of importance, being one of the ‘Four Fabulous Animals’, and thus one of the most important animals in China, ruling the North and representing the water element. The other three animals are from mythology, the dragon, phoenix and unicorn, and as such the tortoise is the only one of the four to definitely exist. However, when the tortoise is represented in art it often has supernatural features, with a hairy tail, dragon ears and flaming tentacles. Being such strong symbols of longevity, turtles and tortoises were traditionally often used in burial rituals, with a carved turtle used as a plinth to support burial tablets for important people in the Sui Dynasty, and some burial mounds even shaped like turtles (grave turtles). This importance to Chinese culture means that turtles and tortoises are commonly depicted, including as carved figures, like the ones I showed the children.

It's Such A Sad Story - Willow Pattern

Imagine, you are wandering through the remains of one of Australia’s famous gold fields. There isn’t much to see, the buildings are long gone and so are the miners, but there is plenty of evidence of people once living and working in the area. The ground is covered with little pieces of broken pottery, and you notice that many of them are blue and white. You stop to look more closely at the pottery and see that you recognise the pattern on many of the blue and white pieces, in fact you own a few pieces yourself! Amazing to think you can buy the same pattern 150 years later!

When I showed these shards of Willow Pattern Plate to the children, their reactions were interesting, and varied. To many of the children the plates were rubbish, thrown away because it was broken (and in many cases they would have been right!) The idea of actually wanting somebody’s rubbish was ‘just plain weird’. For other children though, seeing the pattern on the plates was very interesting and several recognised it from plates ‘my Grandma has’ or even from pieces owned by their parents. The idea that the same pattern is still being made today fascinated them.

Blue and white china and porcelain has been popular for many years. It was first created in China and shards of china with the blue and white colouring have been found dating right back to ancient times. China produced the highest quality porcelain and china, and by the 1700s were exporting pieces like tea sets to Britain where they were extremely popular. Of course, with the blue and white china being so popular, British manufacturers soon wanted to create their own versions. The Willow Pattern was one of these. The pattern was first introduced to the world in 1780 by the Turner pottery. Turner had specialised in Chinese inspired designs and the Willow Pattern was engraved (and quite probably created) for him by Thomas Minton who would later become a famous potter himself. In 1784 the pattern was introduced into the Spode pottery and it went on to be included in pieces by Adams, Wedgewood, Devenport, Clews and other famous pottery factories. It became the most popular design and is still manufactured today. In fact it was so popular that different qualities of china showing the pattern were made, with thick, crude china for poorer people and fine, bone china for the rich.

The Willow Pattern design is not only beautiful though, it has a story associated with it. Some suggest the story has a basis in a Chinese fable, but most think it is of English origin. According to the story, the plate depicts two faithful lovers, one the daughter of a rich man and the other the rich mans secretary. The rich man promised his daughters hand in marriage to a rich viceroy and when he discovered the lovers, he locked his daughter in a house in an orchard. The daughter escaped though with her lover and they ran to the bridge by the willow tree, being chased by the girls father. Usually you can see the three on the bridge in the pattern. The lovers escaped, for a time, but eventually were killed by the man who the daughter was supposed to marry. The gods took pity on the lovers though and made them into immortal doves. You can see the doves at the top of the plate. If you would like to read a more detailed version of the Willow Pattern story (and there are several versions) click here.

Note: If you are on the gold fields, relics like these shards are protected. You cannot collect them. These shards are from a legal source.

It's Very Pretty - Immortal Hat Charm

Imagine, you are a young mother in China. You have a lovely little boy, and you are so happy. You must make sure he is well cared for, safe and looked after. You aren't sure about some of the traditions, but you don't want anything to happen to him. Today, you sewed eight little charms of the immortals onto his hat to ensure he is lucky and safe. Such finely made metal charms, and even if they don't ensure luck, they certainly look nice!

Is It Part Of A Game? Rice Ball Cooker

Imagine, you are a mother living in China in the mid 1900s. Your family isn’t very wealthy, and you work in the fields every day with your husband to earn a living. Then, each night, you return home to cook a meal for your husband and son. It’s not a grand meal, but it is good and at least you have enough to make the meal filling. You have a little plot of land where you grow vegetables, and of course, there is always rice. You eat rice all the time, and it is such an important part of the diet. Filling, cheap, and it can be served in so many ways.

Isn't A Cock A Rooster? - Shuttlecock

Imagine, you are a child living during the Great Depression. Things are very tough for your family and all the money Dad earns needs to go into paying rent and feeding the family – there is nothing left for buying frivolities like toys and games. A few days ago, you were out and about when a lady hit her badminton shuttle too hard and it came soaring into the street. You picked it up and gave it back to her, but you also realised you could make one! It was just a bit of cork with some feathers in it. You collected some feathers from the ducks down near the river, and found an old bit of cork to put them into. It isn’t a perfect shuttle, but it’s a lot of fun to play with!

When I showed the children this shuttlecock, they knew exactly what it was. Shuttlecocks are still often used by the children because they are soft and easy to use, and most importantly, they don’t hurt if they hit you! The children were very surprised by the shuttlecock though. They are used to plastic shuttlecocks, mass produced in factories. This shuttlecock is made of cork and feathers though, as they traditionally have been for centuries. One child pointed out that the feathers might be why it’s called a ‘shuttlecock’ “after all, isn’t a cock a rooster?” The thing which surprised them most though was how old shuttlecocks were, and that badminton is not the traditional sport they are used in.

Today, shuttlecocks, also known as ‘featherballs’ are most familiar to westerners as the ‘ball’ used in the game badminton, but their use in this game is actually very recent. Shuttlecocks themselves date back far before the game of badminton even existed! The first shuttlecocks came from China and they date back over 2500 years. They were probably first used in military training, but by the 5th century BC they were being used in the game Ti Jian Zi, which literally means ‘kick shuttlecock’. In this game the shuttlecock must be kept in the air by using the feet or other parts of the body to kick it up. Hands are not allowed to be used, though later another game, called battledore was introduced where a paddle was used to hit the shuttlecock back and forth. Both versions of the game quickly spread throughout Asia, and have been played in Japan, Vietnam, Malaysia, Korea and Indonesia for centuries. The original game is now played internationally and is actually called shuttlecock. The shuttlecocks used in this game are different to those used in badminton though, using fewer feathers, and much more heavily weighted. To find out more about this game, click here.

Although shuttlecock is usually accepted to have originated in China, a similar game called Poona has also been played in India since about 1500BC. At first, this game used the hand to hit the shuttle, but as it evolved it split into a womens game (using the hand) and a mens game (using the legs). In about 1870 it was this game which was introduced to England by soldiers who had been stationed in the Indian colonies. The Duke of Beaufort, who is known as ‘the father of Badminton’, loved this game and enjoyed playing the ‘womens’ version with his daughters and family. He played it in his Villa in the village of Badminton, which is probably where the name of the game comes from.