Bridal Palanquin

A palanquin was a common mode of transportation in ancient China. Bridal palanquins were specially used to escort the bride to the groom’s house. This palanquin is from the Republican era. It is painted red and features gold lacquer, wood carving, and polychromatic paint. The top and the four (upper) corners of the palanquin feature five lion sculptures, one of them bigger than the rest, and the upper part of the palanquin has gold lacquer, openwork, and paintings of people. The lower part has colorful flowers. The back has an eight-trigram symbol and the front has a couplet which reads: “In spring the brilliant peach blossoms beam so red, in the fields the jade grows in pairs.” The decorations are festive and the symbolism is auspicious.