Karako (Jp.)
Japanse name for Chinese boys, common in decorations. As such the motif seems to have arrived in Japane by the end of the 16th century and might well originally be a depiction of Chinese Immortals. A relation to the Daoist Immortal Lan Caihe is also worth considering. It is uncertain whether Lan Caihe is a man or a woman; grown up or a child. Often he/she wears women’s clothing but speaks with a man’s voice. A strolling singer and flutist, patron of the indigent. Often depicted as a boy, dancing with a flower basket.
See also: Lan Caihe
Back to Chinese Porcelain Collectors Page