Posted 11/11/2014 11:05 pm
This is a Chinese charm.
The first image tells the story of Tian Zhen crying for the withered tree ("真"荆)". (Unfortunately, the software on this forum does not display certain Chinese characters.)
According to this ancient story of filial piety, three brothers decided to part and go their separate ways. They proceeded to divide the family property into three equal portions.
The only piece of property that remained was a tree in the front of the house.
They decided that they would chop down the tree the next day and divide the wood into thirds.
Early the next morning, they discovered that the tree had withered and died.
Tian Zhen, one of the brothers, remarked that the tree must have heard that it was to be chopped down and divided. The tree was actually better than the brothers in the sense that it could not bear to be divided and separated.
The brothers realized that a family should also be one and not divided, and that they should stay together and not part ways.
The tree must have heard their words because it again turned green and flourished.
The charm shows Tian Zhen standing on the left. The other two brothers are on the right with the tree between them.
The second image relates the ancient story of "Zhou Chu Eradicating the Three Scourges" ('处-蛟).
Zhou Chu was an unusually tall and strong person who grew up bullying the people.
One day, he was out in the province when he encountered some elderly people who were not very happy.
He asked them why they were so gloomy when the weather was good and the harvest was abundant. One of the elderly men said that they feared the "Three Scourges" ("Three Menaces", "Three Harms").
Zhou Chu did not understand so the old man said the first "scourge" was a white tiger that killed people.
Zhou Chu decided he would eliminate this scourge. He went out with his sword and returned with the pelt of the white tiger.
The old man then told him that the second "scourge" was even worse. It was a flood dragon that resides in the river. The flood dragon caused the river to flood. People died and crops were destroyed.
Zhou Chu again decided to eliminate this menace. He took his sword and later returned with the skin of the flood dragon.
The old man then told him that the third scourge was the worst of all. The third scourge was a man who terrorized the population. His name was Zhou Chu.
Zhou Chu was aghast when he heard this because he did not know that that was how people felt about him.
Zhou Chu then said that he would eliminate this menace.
Zhou Chu proceeded to reform himself. He studied diligently and became a highly respected scholar, government official and military leader.
The charm shows Zhou Chu with his sword on the right. The flood dragon is shown on the left.
This type of charm first appeared during the Ming Dynasty but has been widely reproduced right down to modern times.
Gary
The first image tells the story of Tian Zhen crying for the withered tree ("真"荆)". (Unfortunately, the software on this forum does not display certain Chinese characters.)
According to this ancient story of filial piety, three brothers decided to part and go their separate ways. They proceeded to divide the family property into three equal portions.
The only piece of property that remained was a tree in the front of the house.
They decided that they would chop down the tree the next day and divide the wood into thirds.
Early the next morning, they discovered that the tree had withered and died.
Tian Zhen, one of the brothers, remarked that the tree must have heard that it was to be chopped down and divided. The tree was actually better than the brothers in the sense that it could not bear to be divided and separated.
The brothers realized that a family should also be one and not divided, and that they should stay together and not part ways.
The tree must have heard their words because it again turned green and flourished.
The charm shows Tian Zhen standing on the left. The other two brothers are on the right with the tree between them.
The second image relates the ancient story of "Zhou Chu Eradicating the Three Scourges" ('处-蛟).
Zhou Chu was an unusually tall and strong person who grew up bullying the people.
One day, he was out in the province when he encountered some elderly people who were not very happy.
He asked them why they were so gloomy when the weather was good and the harvest was abundant. One of the elderly men said that they feared the "Three Scourges" ("Three Menaces", "Three Harms").
Zhou Chu did not understand so the old man said the first "scourge" was a white tiger that killed people.
Zhou Chu decided he would eliminate this scourge. He went out with his sword and returned with the pelt of the white tiger.
The old man then told him that the second "scourge" was even worse. It was a flood dragon that resides in the river. The flood dragon caused the river to flood. People died and crops were destroyed.
Zhou Chu again decided to eliminate this menace. He took his sword and later returned with the skin of the flood dragon.
The old man then told him that the third scourge was the worst of all. The third scourge was a man who terrorized the population. His name was Zhou Chu.
Zhou Chu was aghast when he heard this because he did not know that that was how people felt about him.
Zhou Chu then said that he would eliminate this menace.
Zhou Chu proceeded to reform himself. He studied diligently and became a highly respected scholar, government official and military leader.
The charm shows Zhou Chu with his sword on the right. The flood dragon is shown on the left.
This type of charm first appeared during the Ming Dynasty but has been widely reproduced right down to modern times.
Gary
