The Knick-Knack Peddler

The knick-knack peddler in this painting is shown having arrived under peony flowers and holding a gong to sell the wares that he has brought using a carrier. Children come and mill about bringing coins, pulling a toy cart, playing with a spinning top, and carrying a spin-wheel, their faces brimming with a sense of joy and excitement. The peddler has an ornate pole carrier featuring a canopy and decorated with a pair of ornate hornless dragons, representing a type fashionable in the Ming dynasty (368-1644). Hanging from the parasol are lanterns and gourds, and the carrier itself has compartments filled with various jars, toys, and clay figurines conveying ideas of fortune and longevity. In the background are peonies in full bloom and peaches galore, further filling the painting with auspicious symbols of prosperity and long life.