Beadwork with Chinese characters

This piece of beadwork is decorated with the second verse of a Chinese poem "山居秋暝", by Tang dynasty poet, Wang Wei. The poem and the five Chinese characters "清泉石上流“ convey the poet's satisfaction and contentment, living in seclusion within the mountains and rivers with clear spring water. Based on its size, this piece of beadwork would have possibly been used to decorate the main body of a coin purse. The use of colours reflects the fondness that Peranakan Chinese throughout Southeast Asia have for bright colours and ornate decorations.