Melbourne Chinese Books & Art
What:
Melbourne Chinese Books & Art
Where:
109 Lt Bourke St, Melbourne
When:
Mon-Fri 10am-5.30pm, Sat-Sun 10.30-3.30pm
Contact:
9663 7688
King Zhou was the most notorious tyrant of the Shang dynasty. His wit was sword-sharp and his bare hands could rip the flesh of any ferocious beast. In our educated opinion, he was also a little bit odd. Get this: he liked to entertain his guests by setting up a giant “alcohol and pool garden” whereby he would fill a pool with liquor and hang cooked meats from the trees. His pals would pick at the carcasses and watch pretty women. Friday night work drinks, anyone?
You can read about this further in The Creation of the Gods found in the Chinese Books and Art store. Humbly operating since 1988, the store may be the Melbourne artist’s jackpot. This little Shanghai has ink sets and perfectly crafted, copper-nibbed calligraphy pens to one side and lucky pendants a-plenty on the other.
While you kind of need to search for tiny trinkets and tales on Chinese myth, the rolls of rice paper behind the counter cannot be missed. They range from $4 to $30 a sheet, and anyone who understands how precious rice paper really is would give up their carcass tree for this collection.
By Isabel Dunstan
Product: Objects
Anatomy: Brain
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