offering-vessel;
hsun-ok
- Museum number
- 1992,0728.3
- Description
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Red lacquer and basketry (plaited basketry) offering vessel, 'hsun gwet' or 'hsun-ok'. It is constructed of bamboo basketry, which has been purposely left apparent on the main bowl between the ribs. There are twelve ribs, six short feet and five separate parts to the vessel, including a deep internal tray. The four stages of the vessel are all ridged and decorated above the ridge with a band of applied 'thayo' pressed from a mould. The first three stages have a band of twisted orchid sprays - 'thazin gway' -while the topmost vessel has a dogtooth design, or 'acheik'. Covering the vessel is a cinnabar red lacquer of good quality. A painted inscription on the top of the largest cover has been deliberately rubbed off by a later owner, but remains legible and clearly indicates the original use of the vessel. Made by Hsaya Hpyu in the 'thayo' (lacquer putty) technique.
- Production date
- 1925-1950 (circa)
- Dimensions
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Diameter: 48 centimetres
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Height: 43.50 centimetres
- $Inscriptions
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- Curator's comments
- Isaacs and Blurton 2000:
The family of the deceased, whose name suggests Chinese descent, used this vessel to hold cooked food, which was offered to monks on the day of his death as a final deed of merit, in a custom called 'thet pyauk hsun'. It is also customary to offer food to monks for seven consecutive days following the death, in a custom called 'hsun zin'. The monks invited to the bereaved family's home would recite the 'Paritta' daily. The 'Paritta' or 'Mahaparitta', a small collection of texts gathered from the 'Suttapitaka' ["the discourses of the Buddha"], is, to this day, more widely known by the Burmese laity of all classes than any other Pali book. The 'Paritta', learnt by heart and recited on appropriate occasions, is to conjure various evils, physical and moral. See Bode 1909: 3.
Prome was an important place of lacquer manufacture, though not during most of this century. It is still, however, remembered as the town of the 'shwe zawa' master, Hsaya Pa and was also a centre for the production of' hmanzi shwe cha' furniture at the beginning of this century. A photograph of an elaborately decorated shrine on a plinth covered with a mass of relief decoration apppeared in the "Rangoon Gazette Pictorial Supplement", n.d. [probably 1930s]. It is captioned 'carved lacquer industry at Prome'.
- Location
- Not on display
- Exhibition history
-
2000 Apr - 2000 Aug, BM, 'Visions from the Golden Land: Burma and the Art of Lacquer.'
2001 Dec - 2002 Feb, Exeter, Royal Albert Memorial Museum, 'Visions from the Golden Land: Burma and the Art of Lacquer.'
- Acquisition date
- 1992
- Department
- Asia
- Registration number
- 1992,0728.3