loading image

Once ubiquitous in Chinese dress, hats were worn on most public occasions. Historically, one’s rank, the occasion, and time of year dictated the type of hat worn. Hats, often displayed on decorative stands, were scented with fragrant materials that diffused through hollows to impart the owner’s hat with a pleasant scent. Crafted from materials including lacquered wood, bronze, and clay, hat stands were decorated with a variety of motifs. Many hat stands and other ceramic objects display auspicious figures, such as the Three Star Gods, including Fuxing, God of Blessings, who carries a baby or is accompanied by children, Luxing, God of Wealth and Rank, depicted as an official wearing a court robe, and Shoulao, God of Longevity, who has a prominent cranium, carries a staff, and holds a peach of immortality. The Eight Immortals—each awarded immortality by completing acts of great nobility—represent different aspects of life, such as wealth, youth, old age, and wisdom. Even today, these figures and other folk deities are regarded as powerful agents of good fortune. Special thank you to Sally Yu Leung and Guangzhen Zhou for making this exhibition possible, and to Dr. William Ma, Assistant Professor, College of Art & Design, Louisiana State University, for his curatorial contributions. See "Everyday Elegance in Chinese Ceramics" on display, pre-security, in the Mayor Edwin M. Lee International Terminal Departures Hall and online at: https://bit.ly/Chinese-Ceramics This image was posted on November 01, 2024.