Friday, 4 February 2011

Spring Festival

One of the set of Chinese Lunar New Year cards showing flowers of the republic, hand-painted in the traditional Chinese art style on linen-finished cards. I think this is plumb blossom, a symbol of luck. Chinese New Year is commonly referred to as Spring Festival in China.  Sighting the first Swallows as they arrive back from Africa to England is one of the joys of the natural year for me. We have had some warm springs in previous years which has meant that they have arrived early. How do they know?

I will gloss over the fact that this card was actually issued in the year of the rat but to compensate here is the Chinese stamp for this year of the rabbit.

Apparently they were selling like hot cakes in China.  Or should I say hot dumplings, one of the traditional things to eat for this festival along with sticky rice pudding or nian gao.  Its stickiness will hold or bind families together.

Kung Hei Fat Choi. Cantonese for Congratulations (that it has happened) and be prosperous.

Beth at The Best Hearts Are Crunchy is the hostess of Postal Friendship Friday
at

16 comments:

  1. Postcardy4 February 2011 at 19:56

    I have some Chinese cards that I think might be year of the rabbit 24 years ago. Unfortunately I can't read Chinese or translate it on Google.

    Waiting for philatelynews. The stamp isn't loading.

    ReplyDelete
  2. MuseSwings4 February 2011 at 20:20

    Beautiful card! I saw an exhibit of Japanese screens in San Francisco. Many of them were described as being painted in the "Chinese style" with grace, beauty and symbolism.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Tete4 February 2011 at 21:11

    Beautiful, with the promise of spring.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Joy4 February 2011 at 21:28

    Thanks Postcardy, I have altered the source, hopefully this one will work.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sheila @ A Postcard a Day4 February 2011 at 21:35

    The card is exquisite! There is nothing like the delicacy of oriental art.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Snap4 February 2011 at 21:40

    Love this post. Happy New Year!!!!! Love the postcard and the gorgeous stamp. Happy PFF!

    ReplyDelete
  7. viridian4 February 2011 at 22:44

    Lovely flowers and a cute cute stamp!
    Remember Sunday Stamps at
    http://viridianpostcard.blogspot.com!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Aimee4 February 2011 at 22:52

    Beautiful card...and I love the Rabbit Stamp!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Dorincard4 February 2011 at 23:58

    Nice post! Could everybody post like that? Fat chance, or maybe Fat Choi? :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Funoldhag5 February 2011 at 03:28

    What a beautiful, springy card to look at while we have tons of snow on the ground!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Paul van Yperen5 February 2011 at 08:01

    These traditional Chinese bird and flower images with their clear, white background are so serene. The stamp is not, but it's really cute. I can imagine that the Chinese loved it.

    ReplyDelete
  12. LiT Web Studio5 February 2011 at 10:26

    that postcard is absolutely exquisite...colour me jealous of that card! happy PFF!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Coffeedoff5 February 2011 at 13:29

    Lovely card. I love the stamp too!

    ReplyDelete
  14. dakotaboo5 February 2011 at 15:35

    That's a great postcard. Reminds me of some chinese prints my parents used to have in the hallway.

    ReplyDelete
  15. The Pen Thief5 February 2011 at 19:27

    I love Chinese style painting and this one is a beautiful representation of the uneven-ness of that style. There is an artistic tension on the card as a majority of the design is on the left side. The stamp that was used is really lovely too!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Carole10 February 2011 at 23:06

    That is a lovely postcard. :-)

    ReplyDelete