Painted egg-shell is a folk custom craftwork to paint pictures on the shells of chicken and goose eggs. The pictures look fresh, concise, exquisite and lovely. The eggshells are erected downside, showing stereoscopic feeling on the sides. The painted egg-shells are covered with exquisite glass frames, with unique styles. They are processed in Wenzhou, Lucheng, Rui’an, Pingyang and Cangnan of Zhejiang Province, largely for exports.
Whenever they construct a house, the Bai ethnic group living in Heqing County, Yunnan Province, would hang a treasure jar on the girder in time of erecting poles and girders. The treasure jar contains “five nuts” (lotus, laurels, pine nuts, melon seeds, and sunflower seeds), “five treasures” (silver, rice, salt, brown sugar and tea), and “five dragon water” (water from five ponds). The jar will also contain a painted goose eggshell, known as “precious gallbladder”.
When the house construction was completed, a ceremony would be held to “calm the dragon and settle the earth”. A “treasure jar” containing a “precious gallbladder” would be buried in the axes of the new house. It was said that the “treasure jar” would be installed to eliminate disasters and beckon good lucks. In wedding customs, the quilts of the newly weds would be loaded in the four corners with the “five nuts”, chopsticks, jujubes, and four painted eggs, known as “pregnancy deity” eggs. The bride would present guests with cooked and painted eggs. Besides, the Tianding (have a baby born into the family) eggs sent to lying-in women must be painted eggs. The eggs presented to the elders to congratulate their birthdays are also painted eggs….
Painted egg-shells are designed in diversified modes. They are largely classified into three major types, which are facial make-up, portraits and “string paintings”.
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