Dragons!

As you know - I have always been fascinated by dragons. Dragons are revered in Buddism and therefore by most Vietnames as well as the large Chinese-descent population in VN bc the dragon represents strength and good fortune.
I don't know if it was my good fortune or a curse that I visited Hoi An where the Vietnamese infatuation with dragons and incredible wood carvers merged!? The result - one particular shop in Hoi An noted for its intricate dragon carvings - almost all in mahogony. And every sculpture they do is made of one piece of wood - even the larger pieces! Bottom line = I was hooked even though I swore I would make no large purchases. Anyway, I broke that vow and my purchases are now being shipped <- which would not have been possible without the assistance of my terrific friend Jeff!

What follows is an introduction to the 12 dragons I now own:



This where some of the carvers work in "downtown" Hoi An - most work in a small village about 12 kilometers away.




The simplest of dragon carvings. - all are mahogony.




Two dragons meet at ying/yang.




A much more detailed and larger dragon - note details of scales.




Larger than 63 and even more detail like the large encircled tail.




Intricately carved dragon on plate - again, carved from a single piece of mahogony. Stand is a separately carved piece.




Dragon, crane, unicorn (aka to Westerners as a Foo Dog), and turtle (at base of carving) represent prosperity, health, good fortune, and happiness - particularly when combined together. Scale - this sculpture is about 19" high - carved from single piece of mahogony. Details are incredible.




The piece-de-resistance (sp?) - 7 dragons encircling ying/yang symbol - about 4' tall - carved from a single piece of mahogony with even more detail than the aforementioned. This was the first piece that caught my eye and the ONLY and most expensive one I was going to buy. But, after nunerous trips to the shop and much haggling - I ended up with much more.

Why such a large investment/ purchase. Few things in this world impress me enough to consider them "treasures". The quality of these pieces far exceeded my criteria for a "treasure".

Where can I put these things? Only place I currently have is the cabin.

I hope that someday you all get a chance to see these!

By the way... I have seen pet dogs in the countryside and here in Hoi An! Not "many" but quite a few! Of course, in most cases I still don't know what's on the street vendor's barbeques