White Magnolia Cushion

White Magnolia is a brush painting in traditional Chinese "gongbi" style. Watercolor and ink on Xuan rice paper. The flower and bird painting is peculiar to China. All kinds of flowers and plants were given various symbolic meanings. Flowers can be compared to almost all thoughts and feelings of human being. They can symbolise feminine beauty, virtues, political authority, omens, and lucky niceness. And once established, this tradition became popular in every dynasty. Therefore their symbolic meanings grow increasingly rich and specific. In flowers and birds painting's long history of development, some subject was given the fixed auspicious Fengshui meaning. The magnolia is known as mulan 木兰 in Chinese. A white magnolia is known as a "jade orchid" yulan 玉兰 due to its beautiful white jade colour and the orchid-like aroma. It is one of the flowers traditionally used to represent feminine beauty. The magnolia is also sometimes depicted with orchid to give the meaning "pure and noble." In Chinese culture, the Bluebird is symbolic of intelligence as well as prosperity! Seeing one of these birds in your dream may be a symbol of new hopes or wishes coming true. It is also a symbol of happiness and longevity. The colour blue was historically associated with purity in China, as well as immortality, peace, harmony, and tranquillity, all qualities that are desirable for life. In this sense, it is not surprising that Chinese people would consider the Bluebird to be an auspicious creature!