Society

Chinese handicrafts bring blessings to royal wedding

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-04-27 21:58

BEIJING - In times past, they decorated the homes of British aristocrats as the island country became fascinated with Oriental curiosities. Today, they come to the royal family, carrying Chinese wishes for a perfect matrimony.

As the clock ticks down to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, the British royal family's taste for fine Chinese craftsmanship has prompted several artists to carve out blessings for the prominent new couple.

Cai Yundi, a master craftsman of Chengni stone carving, delivered an auspicious carved stone to the royal family of Britain earlier this month as a wedding present.

The kettle-shaped stone is hand-carved, with images of jujubes, peanuts, and longans on its surface. The work is titled "Zaoshengguizi", or "to produce a distinguished child soon", a blessing hidden in the Chinese names of the fruits and nuts depicted on the stone's surface.

"I hope this gift from the city of Suzhou can bring fortune and felicity to the couple," says Cai.

Chengni artists in eastern China's Jiangsu Province use their consummate skills to carve teapots, ink slabs and sculptures out of stone.

Cai's stone carving has been accepted by the royal family and is now kept in Buckingham Palace, according to Cai.

The royal wedding of Prince William, the second successor in line to the British crown, and Kate Middleton has brought a variety of wedding presents into the spotlight, ranging from small toys to exotic curiosities sent by local and foreign fans.

Their fairy tale-like romance has impressed many ordinary Chinese, including Zhu Xiaoju, an employee of a tea-producing county in southwest China who created a porcelain tea set for the newlyweds.

"It all started on a whim, but I was very much encouraged after they (the British royal family) replied to my message and expressed their thanks," says Zhu.

After much research in the city of Jingdezhen, the Chinese capital of ceramics, Zhu decided to combine images of plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo and chrysanthemums with the names of William and Kate.

Titled "Dianxi", the tea set is a form of benediction, says Zhu. The work was inspired by a Chinese poem about the mutual understanding shared by loved ones.

The tea set is expected to arrive on April 29, the same day that the roal wedding is scheduled to take place. The wedding will be accompanied by nationwide celebrations in Britain, as well as celebrations in other countries.