FZ03652 Five Running Oxen Ox Porcelain Figurine

Auspicious Animals Giving Blessings

Blessings (wufu) have traditionally been an integral part of Chinese culture, like water to fish, the sky to birds, and air to people. The Chinese have long been trying to bring good luck and dispel calamities, using lucky totems (usually based on chimerical creatures found in nature and mythology) with strong cultural resonances as the medium for expressing their wishes. Drawing on Chinese culture, FRANZ designers have created fashionable, auspicious works featuring a harmonious blend of East and West with great charm.

The ox is a strong, powerful animal, which has long been used to plow fields in early spring to lay a good foundation for the harvest. Because the ox represents excellence and profits, the stock market welcomes the bull market, and those who excel in the workplace are referred to as Niu Ren (literally, “man of the bull”). FRANZ designer Lee has ingeniously reinterpreted the classic painting Five Bulls (also sometimes known as Five Oxen) to create the “Five Running Oxen” porcelain piece, which features five oxen with a steady, strong stance. They are united in their firm determination, marching forward to open a whole new era – a symbol of a bull market offering desired profits and blessings for all in the modern business world.

FZ03618 Arrival of Good Luck ｜Phoenix Porcelain Vase

Birds also signify blessings. The phoenix, with its beautiful crest and colorful plumage, is referred to as the “king of the birds,” and symbolizes blessings and peace. The “Arrival of Good Luck” porcelain piece features the legendary bird winging its way across the universe amid numerous shining stars, bringing blessings and unlimited hope for all the livings creatures on earth. Moreover, the Chinese character for “little egret” (a bird that’s a common sight in rice paddies in southern China) sounds similar to “wealth,” thus symbolizing lasting prosperity. The “Exceptional Achievement” porcelain figurine features a pair of three-dimensional little egrets as well as bougainvillea flowers, a perennial vine representing vitality, hence offering people a brilliant career and bringing family harmony.

Desiring to convey blessings and good wishes and awaken people’s positive energy, FRANZ has turned intangible blessings – the essence of Chinese culture, woven into the DNA of Chinese people – into trendy porcelain pieces with a modern touch. Positivity engenders goodness, hope, and happiness, and encourages all to love and care for others – thus, the blessings at the heart of Chinese culture will help sow the seeds of “truth, kindness, and beauty” in early spring for a good harvest later this year.

FZ03643 Exceptional Achievement ｜Little Egret Porcelain Figurine