Emily Jung Miller
Peace Apples #1062 Purchase
Decorated Fuji apples called Ping'an Guo 平安果 are given as holiday gifts, a modern trend taking its cue from ancient wordplay traditions between spoken and written Chinese language. The Píng'ān guǒ, or “Peace Apple" is given on Christmas Eve (Píng'ān Yè). In this linguistic pun, the word for “apple” (苹果, píngguǒ) sounds like “peace” (平安, píng'ān), making it a thoughtful gift to wish someone a safe and peaceful year ahead. Learn more about the Peace Apple tradition at contextualchinese.com/平安果
Some apples are covered with a removable sticker before ripening, leaving an outline of lighter-colored skin. Others are printed with white or yellow edible inks, offering different well-wishes for the upcoming year. Some apples have the character for luck (fu) which also matches the Fu sound in Fuji apple. In this painting, the apple with four characters reads Ping An Xi Le 平安喜樂 (Peace and Happiness).
These apples were displayed during Lunar New Year season at Asian Family Market in Beaverton, Oregon. The soft neon-pink foam netting is a protective and eye-catching packaging for each apple.
Apples originated in the Tian Shan mountains of central Asia and spread through trade along the Silk Road. Chinese agricultural records from 2000 BCE describe sophisticated grafting and cultivation techniques. By 300 BCE, Chinese techniques for preserving ripe apples enabled 4,000-mile Silk Road apple shipments taking 8 months. Today, China supplies about half the world's apple needs. Learn more about the 10,000 year relationship between humans and apples here: briandcolwell.com/a-complete-history-of-apples-ten-millennia-of-cultivation-selection-and-agricultural-innovation/
Some apples are covered with a removable sticker before ripening, leaving an outline of lighter-colored skin. Others are printed with white or yellow edible inks, offering different well-wishes for the upcoming year. Some apples have the character for luck (fu) which also matches the Fu sound in Fuji apple. In this painting, the apple with four characters reads Ping An Xi Le 平安喜樂 (Peace and Happiness).
These apples were displayed during Lunar New Year season at Asian Family Market in Beaverton, Oregon. The soft neon-pink foam netting is a protective and eye-catching packaging for each apple.
Apples originated in the Tian Shan mountains of central Asia and spread through trade along the Silk Road. Chinese agricultural records from 2000 BCE describe sophisticated grafting and cultivation techniques. By 300 BCE, Chinese techniques for preserving ripe apples enabled 4,000-mile Silk Road apple shipments taking 8 months. Today, China supplies about half the world's apple needs. Learn more about the 10,000 year relationship between humans and apples here: briandcolwell.com/a-complete-history-of-apples-ten-millennia-of-cultivation-selection-and-agricultural-innovation/
Watercolor, 2026
18" x 24"
Original Painting Available (unframed)
$1,200
$1,200
Purchase Peace Apples, Golden Orange & Greens Art Prints:
| 5x7 matted to 11x14" Art print |
$32
|
|
| 8x10 matted to 11x14" Art print |
$40
|
|
| 11x14" Paper giclee |
$100
|
|
| 16x20" Paper giclee |
$165
|
|
| Set of 8 Greeting Cards + Envelopes |
$30
| |
| Single Greeting Card + Envelope | $4 |
Need a different size? Ask about custom print sizes and formats
Limited spaces are now open for custom painting commissions in 2026! I am accepting commissions for sizes 16x20" and larger.
