This is one compartment of a lacquered snack tray box set.Referred to as the ‘Tray of Togetherness’ or ‘Eight Treasure Box’, the snack tray is often used by Chinese families in Singapore for serving snacks to visitors during the Lunar New Year. Each compartment of the tray is usually filled with a different snack, such as melon seeds, candy and assorted nuts. The design of the box mirrors the octagonal trigram, or ‘Ba Gua’, which is a significant symbol in Daoism that represents the natural elements such as earth and fire. In addition, the number ‘eight’ is regarded as an auspicious figure in both the Daoist and Buddhist traditions.The artefact was donated by Datin Patricia Lim Pui Huen, and is part of a series of items that belonged to her mother, Mdm. Violet Woo. Born in Hong Kong, Mdm. Woo later moved to Singapore after her marriage and was an active member in the Chinese Women’s Association (founded in 1916), becoming its vice-president in 1979. Datin Lim is the great-granddaughter of Wong Fook Kee, better known as Wong Ah Fook, who was a prominent Chinese businessman and philanthropist. Datin Lim’s grandfather was Wong Ah Fook’s eldest son, Wong Siew Nam. Her father, Wong Peng Shing, was Wong Siew Nam’s second son.
