Indigo Phoenix & Double Longevity Coins — Nantong Doorway Textile
A long indigo handwoven textile with phoenix imagery, interlocking longevity coins, auspicious bats and the Four Gentlemen, made from exceptionally soft traditional cotton.
- Object ID
- TA-NT-0040
- Origin
- Nantong · Attributed to Nantong, Jiangsu, China
- Period
- c. 1940s–1950s
- Dating confidence
- estimated
- Material
- Hand-spun, handwoven cotton; locally described as Xiao Hua Sha (小花纱)
- Dimensions
- Approx. 48 × 150 cm / 18.9 × 59.1 in, one whole piece
- Technique
- Indigo stencil resist printing · Handwoven homespun
- Pattern
- Phoenix medallion · Double copper coins · Shou longevity characters · Bats · Four Gentlemen
- Colours
- Indigo blue · Natural white
- Washed
- Yes
Object condition
Washed and ironed. Substantial, notably soft and supple homespun cotton with two small holes and ordinary age-related wear. See close-ups for condition. The main indigo roundel and auspicious symbols remain recognisable.
Identification notes
Owner-matched to Etsy listing 4597229515 and its original photograph folder on 19 October 2026. Sold uncut; check Etsy for live price, stock and delivery.
The Nantong provenance and mid-twentieth-century date are owner-supplied attributions, not a verified workshop or exact production year.
The cotton is locally identified as Xiao Hua Sha, treasured for a softness described as cashmere-like, but it is cotton rather than cashmere. The cultivar history has not been scientifically verified.
Traditional Nantong stencil-resist printing involves applying paste through a cut stencil before indigo dyeing and then removing it to reveal light motifs.
The double coins, Shou longevity and the Four Gentlemen
The linked double coin design portrays two old copper cash coins, traditionally round with central openings. Alongside Shou longevity characters, the pairs evoke wishes for both prosperity and longevity.
The word bat (蝠, fu) sounds like blessing (福, fu). With the coin and longevity imagery, the composition expresses Fu Shou Shuang Quan (福寿双全): enjoying both good fortune and long life.
The Four Gentlemen each express a Chinese cultural virtue: plum blossom—resilience and hope; orchid—refinement and humility; bamboo—integrity and peace; chrysanthemum—dignity and longevity.
The phoenix adds a wish for harmony and a flourishing household.
