4 Yao Ceremonial Paintings

The Yao Chinese minority live in the South West of China, the North of Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. Yao Taoism uses paintings of the Gods instead of statues as in other ethnic groups. These paintings made for a family are consecrated at the time of their creation during the "eye opening ritual". When they have become too old the priest then performs a deconsecration ceremony so that the Gods leave the paintings. This is the case of our seven paintings which were part of a series of fourteen called "Yen Si": we find on the back the following information: the name of the sponsor: Deng Fa Lin; the name of the artists: Pan Yong Long and Ma Fu Yuan The price paid and the following wishes: May the family be in peace all its life May the five cereals give abundant harvests May a large quantity of gold, silver, animals come in and may also ten thousand generations benefit from a great fortune... Dated the 25th day of great happiness, 5th year of the Republic of China (1916)