Antique Style Painted Butterflies Storage Cabinet

Details: Add antique Oriental style to your home or office decor with this elegant butterfly-themed storage cabinet. This exquisitely and intricately hand-painted piece expresses a wealth of Chinese symbolism which is rendered with "miaojin," a specially prepared, gold-colored paint. The two doors and sides of the cabinet are decorated with butterflies in flight. In Chinese thought, butterflies represent change, rebirth and duality. Zhuangzi (370- 300 B.C.E.), a Taoist poet and philosopher, wrote, "I once dreamed I was a butterfly fluttering here and there... But did I really dream of the butterfly? Or is the butterfly now dreaming of me?" A legendary story describes a tale of two lovers, Zhu Yintai and Liang Shanbo, who die under tragic circumstances and later find each other as reincarnated butterflies. An expanded "panchang" or "never-ending knot" stretches around the perimeter of the top surface, representing longevity. Custom made bronze "shuangyu" or "double fish" handles represent wealth and surplus and are used to open the doors to a spacious interior, complete with convenient shelf for added storage space. Made from only the highest quality materials, this exceptional piece is sure to become a treasured heirloom.