胖娃娃

I have always like looking at these 年画 Nian Hua (New Year pictures) of chinese chubby babies. Sometimes these come in the form of red packets. I am fascinated by the exuberance and happiness emanating from the pictures, so full of joy. The chubby babies are depicted with many auspicious symbols like the carp, magpies, flowers etc... it showed pictures of the chubby baby successfully hooking the fish of abundance in a pool of lotus flowers [lian], meaning "May you have abundance year in and year out 年年有余".

Nian Hua 年画 was the most important influence on the propaganda posters produced by the Chinese Communist Party for decades. Employing various elements of folk art and symbolism, these pictures catered to the tastes and beliefs in the countryside, expressing wishes for happiness and good luck. According to the Chinese nianhua specialist Wang Shucun, "During the New Year festival, more than 20 varieties of New Year prints would be stuck on the front gates, doors onto the courtyard, walls of a room, besides a room's windows, or on the water vat, rice cabinet, granary, or livestock fold. Colourful and floral prints would be everywhere in the house to express the hopes and joy of the festival."

The chubby babies (胖娃娃), particularly those holding carps, denotes male offspring and abundance, all representative of traditional ideals of wealth, happiness, longevity, and others. Babies are sometimes depicted with protective charms around their necks, clutching peaches of immortality, surrounded by magpies and mandarin ducks, they often portrayed as girls.

Normally when ladies are pregnant, they look at beautiful babies' pictures. I find 胖娃娃 in Nian Hua perfect to look at as well. The chubby baby looks so happy and fortunate, plus all the auspicious symbols in the background, it will surely make being pregnant and giving birth something to look forward to - a healthy good-looking 胖娃娃.

I found a real life Nian Hua 胖娃娃, who looked so cute and "auspicious" that you would want to pinch his cheeks and hug him. He is the 4th Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche.