STEIN, GertrudeBiblio.com
Four Popular Early 20th Century Chinese Handbills.
219368Tianjin.: 毓順成 芳記. Yushuncheng fangji. Early 20th Century. Four handbills showing popular images two 13.2 x 18.4 are images of characters from Peking Opera and two 12.2 x 16.5cm depict themes important in Chinese society at the time. Text in traditional Chinese characters. Light even browning tiny closed tears at margin of one sheet repaired with washi. Very good. Chinese opera characters in the style of traditional woodblock prints were popular in the late Qing dynasty and early Republican period. Handbills of characters from Beijing opera were sold as collectible items that also helped to familiarise people with the characters of different operas; their costumes make up weapons and names. In this case there are two characters from the opera 白水灘 on one handbill and three characters from the opera 落馬湖 on the other. <br> <br>Images with social themes also made popular handbills especially in places such as Tianjin where the influence of foreigners was pronounced. In 福壽財源 we see an immortal carrying a peach of longevity surrounded by images of fertility - a young woman and boys carry fruit and flowers as well as other items symbolic of wealth - a coin a vase gold ingots and so on probably issued for New Year. <br> <br>The final handbill of the four 娶大媳婦 tells the tale of a girl of eighteen married to a boy of seven. The Chinese custom of marrying a young boy to an older girl adopted into the family is thus open for discussion - everyone in the image clearly has a different opinion of the situation; from the young husband the older farmer in the background and the two men in long scholars robes to the modern young man in a western suit with leather shoes as well as the girl herself. The practice of adopting a girl to bring up as a future wife for a male child was made illegal in 1949. The text mentions some of the ways in which the girl would be expected to help in her adoptive family's home. . 毓順成 芳記. [Yushuncheng fangji] hardcover
Asia Bookroom · Australie800,00 $AU≈ 527,28 €
