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Re: Looking for a buddha and siva CJ prize.

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 2:59 pm
by dianep2
Hi Guys,
I am very impressed with the intellectual conversation all of you have been having about the Chinese figures. Thanks for all your expertise. I have nothing to add but I sure enjoy reading all of the knowledge you have to share. :)lol

PS: Hoki God of Childish Mischief :?: Now I'd say that is very appropriate for this group. :stooges:

Re: Looking for a Buddha and Siva CJ prize.

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 3:08 pm
by edteach
If you mean the seated over weight CJ prize I think its Buddha in the happy wealthy Chinese form. Here are a few others from other sites that show him in that exact position. I know the one on the lotus flower is Kwan Yin only because I was looking for a souvenir from China town in SF when I visited last month. I kept running across this exact version in jade and asked who it was and was told Kwan Yin the female form of Buddha. I opted for the over weight seated Buddha in jade. This was one of the only times I wanted to see made in China on my souvenir.

Re: Looking for a buddha and siva CJ prize.

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 3:27 pm
by Luke
jdnola wrote:The big guy is "Hoki God of Childish Mischief" rather than Buddha. Some of these are identified on the back this way. I've never seen any marked "Happy Fats," though.
Thanks Jim, I'd forgotten that little bit of trivia about him. The spelling of Hoki is very similar to Hotie (Japanese.) I wonder if that a variant in the spelling of the name. Hotie is the jovial, round bellied Buddha that many people think of as Buddha.

It's been a few years since I've taken a Eastern Religions class, so I'm going to pick the brains of my brother in law. If he doesn't know, he'll know who to ask.

Re: Looking for a Buddha and Siva CJ prize.

Posted: Fri Jan 21, 2011 3:34 pm
by Luke
edteach wrote:If you mean the seated over weight CJ prize I think its Buddha in the happy wealthy Chinese form. Here are a few others from other sites that show him in that exact position.
Yes, I agree. It looks like Budai (Chinese Buddha), also known as Hotie (Japanese Buddha), both of which are commonly known as "Happy Face", or as Larry said "Happy Fats", although I'm not familiar with that nickname. Jim brought up the name Hoki, which I'd forgotten about, but it's possible it's a variant in spelling.

Re: Looking for a buddha and siva CJ prize.

Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2011 11:09 am
by jdnola
I think Hoki must be a "creative" (i.e., mis-) spelling by Superior Plastics and probably an erroneous derivation from Hotie, as you suggest, Luke. It will be interesting to know your brother-in-law's take on it. I don't find any definition for "hoki" except as a fish, or a horse in the Hawaiian language.

The archival records for the series that includes this piece lists him as Buddha. I don't know Jack about Buddha, but was he known to be childishly mischievous? That's the part I don't get.

The listing for the lotus lady from the Lind Plastics series is “Quan Yen” for Kwan Yin. When I try googling for "Quan Yen," Google asks if I meant "Quan Yin." (NO, I meant "Quan Yen"....That's why I typed QUAN YEN!!!!)

We know that the creation of "woofenpoof" evolved in the archival listing for that creature, derived from "whiffenpoof." So there was obviously some toying with spellings in the records, so to speak.

As indicated from the above, the Chinese figures are not a series unto themselves nor even from the same supplier, but rather the pieces were released as parts of other series.

Re: Looking for a Buddha and Siva CJ prize.

Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2011 12:31 pm
by edteach
jdnola wrote:I think Hoki must be a "creative" (i.e., mis-) spelling by Superior Plastics and probably an erroneous derivation from Hotie, as you suggest, Luke. It will be interesting to know your brother-in-law's take on it. I don't find any definition for "hoki" except as a fish, or a horse in the Hawaiian language.

The archival records for the series that includes this piece lists him as Buddha. I don't know Jack about Buddha, but was he known to be childishly mischievous? That's the part I don't get.

The listing for the lotus lady from the Lind Plastics series is “Quan Yen” for Kwan Yin. When I try googling for "Quan Yen," Google asks if I meant "Quan Yin." (NO, I meant "Quan Yen"....That's why I typed QUAN YEN!!!!)

We know that the creation of "woofenpoof" evolved in the archival listing for that creature, derived from "whiffenpoof." So there was obviously some toying with spellings in the records, so to speak.

As indicated from the above, the Chinese figures are not a series unto themselves nor even from the same supplier, but rather the pieces were released as parts of other series.
Actually Hoki is a fish you eat every time you buy a flletOfish at MDs. They are useing up the supply of Hoki off Austraila and New Zeland.

Re: Looking for a buddha and siva CJ prize.

Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2011 12:32 pm
by edteach
BTW Luke, the prizes arrived in good order, thanks. Let me know as soon as I am a reg. member. and thanks again.

Re: Looking for a buddha and siva CJ prize.

Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2011 1:11 pm
by Luke
jdnola wrote:The archival records for the series that includes this piece lists him as Buddha. I don't know Jack about Buddha, but was he known to be childishly mischievous? That's the part I don't get.
They probably wanted plausible deniability in case parents complained that CJ was pushing religion on their children. They could always claim, that Hoki was just a figment of the designers imagination, as Buddha was far from mischievous. As Larry mentioned earlier in this thread, "I would imagine that CJ did not want to have a NAMED religious figure although they have Shiva and crosses, etc. but they probably wanted to stay aseptic religious."

Isn't it odd that there is a Loki, who was the God of Mischief in Norse mythology.
jdnola wrote:As indicated from the above, the Chinese figures are not a series unto themselves nor even from the same supplier, but rather the pieces were released as parts of other series.
That's a very good point, thanks for making it clear. I display mine together as if they were from a single series, and often forget that they're not.
edteach wrote:BTW Luke, the prizes arrived in good order, thanks. Let me know as soon as I am a reg. member. and thanks again.
I'm glad they arrived safely. :)

Re: Looking for a buddha and siva CJ prize.

Posted: Sat Jan 22, 2011 1:49 pm
by larrydw
Hello all,
Very interesting to learn all this. Who said that there isn't a story behind every prize?

Re: Looking for a buddha and siva CJ prize.

Posted: Sun Jan 23, 2011 8:55 pm
by Luke
Image
Object 1

Image
Object 2

Image
Object 3

Image
Object 4
Anyone wanna play guess the object?

My guesses...
  • Object 1 - dove
    Object 2 - basket or lantern
    Object 3 - between his hands a fish, above his hand ???
    Object 4 - popcorn balls made from Cracker Jack