Antique Chinese Cinnabar Lacquer Round Box with Character for Spring (Chun) and God of Longevity (Shoulao) nova scotia It certainly puts me in

It certainly puts me in that sort of an earth goddess-y mood

perhaps closing up a third hole (

and the irregularity of the edge of the black paint makes me think it was made to please its maker rather than for sale

this jug would make a great vase

which are more pronounced on the reverse

Antique Chinese Cinnabar Lacquer Round Box with Character for Spring (Chun) and God of Longevity (Shoulao) nova scotia It certainly puts me inThis lovely, finely carved antique Chinese cinnabar box features a large representation of the character for spring (chun, an allusion to long life), and a small image of Shoulao, the god of longevity, on its face, with an overflowing bowl below it set against a background of radiating rainbows. This "bowl of treasures" design apparently first appeared in the 16th century, but became famous and more complicated when an extraordinary series of boxes