Our First Wedding Present in China: Twin Lotus Bowls

Wow!  It's been a crazy few weeks since the wedding.  Now that things have settled down a bit, I can get back to posting....

Here is the first wedding present Heather and I received in China: "Twin Lotus Bowls" that we got from my school.

I could quickly describe the meaning behind these bowls for you, but why do that when the description card inside the box can do it so eloquently?


"   THE PAIRING BOWLS OF 'TWIN LOTUS FLOWERS ON ONE STALK'

   The twin lotus flowers on one stalk concealing analogy the meaning of"a harmonious marriage lasting a hundred years and ensure perpetual lovers' knot".It is said that Tang Taizhing Li shimin bestowed his youngest daughter Princess Gao Yang upon his favoured minister Fang Xuanling's son.  Had informed this, the ministers and officials of imperial court within and without bustled about that were preparing congratulation gifts for the marriage one after another among the numerous articles of tribute a pair of bowls of"lotus flowers petal", from Mingzhou was distinguish shining with dazzling brilliance, its jadeite-like jade greenness, fascinating with mild elegance the lotus flower petal represent the holiness and pureness the pairing bowls show the perfect elegance and Luxuriousness and Looked its illustration as the symbol of"auspiciousness and peacefulness"Happiness and perfectly satisfactory had looked.

......For the purpose of forever collection that has limited Distributing."


That's half of the description word-for-word (and space-for-space).  It also says that the bowls have since been a common gift for "marriage jubilation."

And so now Heather and I have some pretty awesome bowls.  And marriage jubilation.

(please note:  In no way is this meant to be an insult to the thoughtfulness of my school...Heather and I really love this gift!  I just wanted to share some funny Chinglish from the company that made these sweet bowls.  Thank you.)