Glorious Peony Ring

Yewn's Glorious Peony collection marries jade, the most noble of materials, with the most noble of flowers, contrasting the strength of jade with the fragile beauty of the butterfly. As a consequence, the peony is an integral part of Yewn's red thread (a Chinese analogy for the 'DNA' of an artist's work). He honours the peony with its own collection, in which each petal can move independently of the corolla itself, as well as giving it a special appearance in each of his collections.

Peonies symbolise wealth, honour, beauty and procreation. They represent spring as one of the flowers of the four seasons and are a symbol of prosperity. Their opulence and sumptuous display of voluminous petals and colour have made them the ‘king of flowers’ in China. They are associated with many different plants, birds and animals to invoke auspicious symbols for wealth and success. For example, when the ‘king of birds’ — the phoenix (the luckiest of birds) — is paired with the ‘king of flowers,’ together they auger great blessings and prosperity, and thus ultimate happiness. Due to its lavish beauty, the peony features frequently in poetry, painting and embroidery, as well as on porcelain. It is included in many rebus as a propitious interpretation of prosperity and honour. For the ordinary person, it is a flower that represents hope for a better life.