Painting of the Toad Teacher

INFORMATION ABOUT THE PAINTING "THE TOAD SCHOOLMACH" Material: Engraved lacquer - Size: 50 x 60 cm Adapted from Dong Ho folk paintings This painting depicts the bustling world of toads, frogs, and bullfrogs. Although they are creatures, the artists personify them like humans. With the inscription "Old Frog Teaching" (老蛙講讀). "Oa" means frog, but it's commonly called a toad in folklore. "The Toad Schoolmaster" is a painting with profound meaning, a legacy left by the ancients. The painting "The Toad Schoolmaster" evokes the ancient way of writing, colloquially known as "tad script." Toads are amphibians and lay tadpoles. Comparing the writing system of our ancient country, which initially had a winding, tadpole-like shape, it was called "tadpole script," or "tackle script" by Confucian scholars, as "khoa" means tadpole. The author argues that: "Tadpole script is the official writing system of the Lac Viet civilization... The painting 'Toad Teacher' is a secret message guiding future generations back to their ancestral roots. Because 'khoa' means tadpole-shaped script. In other words: only a toad has the writing to teach the world. Therefore, the toad has a monopoly on teaching. That is the meaning of this folk painting." In terms of feng shui, the toad also symbolizes good fortune in all aspects of life, smooth business dealings, and especially, it can protect wealth and increase prosperity. According to many beliefs, the toad is a sacred animal that can ward off many misfortunes and negative energies.