Page 30 - 2020 Nov 30 Christies Hong Kong Springfield Museum Imperial Art

fig. 1 Xiqing Gujian, ‘Inspection of Antiques’, juan 18
ॱˏ ᢌ೛ो༆ՈᕊǗ⾾᪹۵㞙ǘڰډՋ

This type of vase is sometimes known The present champion vase is very similar ⩹㢡ܐຉ⁄᳦᪹͞ኯ⚘ᾫὼࣰˮډֱ↪⻍ⅲ
as a ‘champion vase’, an appellation in form and style to a smaller champion ͱ۵ࣰাǐǗ⾾᪹۵㞙ǘڰډՋˮڭ㍭ᕖˏ
translated from the Chinese, ying (eagle) vase (17.4 cm. high) dating to the second ͬǙߢ㹩㲋㢳┹⁄ǚ䢮ॱˏ䢯䢲ᆘ᳦᢬㧛⩹
and xiong (bear), describing the two half of the 17th century in the Uldry 㢡ܐຉ⁄ኯ⚘ᾫὼࣰዠϭ̞ۈাǐኯ⚘ᾫὼ
beasts represented, but also forming the Collection, see Chinese Cloisonne: The ⩹㢡ܐຉ⁄ॼࣰྋ˖㢰૯⦱⇂ܔ䢲΢ॼ♃
pun on the word for ‘champion’ or ‘hero’. Pierre Uldry Collection, New York, 1989, 㨫Ǐ᣻ϡǏോഢ⓼♢╈˖Փᕖ᜴૨ㅌ٪䢲๼
Alternatively, the vessel is also known as no. 208. Compare also two similar but Ⳕⅲ★♢␙༂̑˙ˏǐ᢬ͬ㭙 Ռֱ䢲൲
a ‘nuptial cup’, hejingbei, as it is believed smaller champion vases with covers, ˮাോഢ䢲Ւ㛵㕹Բᰁ᷒᷻䢲ᾫὼ㕲ㇲ♢
that during the Ming dynasty, it was used one with a single dragon on the cover, ೺䢲⨓ྐ❳♓䢲൲ܔ㧛ϡಠˮ➱⿉ⅲωηǐ
as a ritual wine vessel during a wedding illustrated in Chinese Cloisonne, The ῊૈᳶᤧὊⳉˮᕖˏͬ㐤াۢ♃㨫⧀᢬⇂₤
ceremony. The double cylinders were Clague Collection, Phoenix, 1980, no. 39 ዁㏩΢㍨റⅲܐຉ⁄䢮㭙 Ռֱ䢯䢲⿉
filled with wine to be drunk by the bride (23.8 cm. high), where both sides of the Ǘ$IJOFTF $MPJTPOOF 5IF 1JFSSF 6MESZ
and groom as part of the marriage rites. vase are illustrated on the front and back $PMMFDUJPOǘ䢲♈☼䢲 ໝ䢲ॱḛ
These were especially popular during covers; the other with a pair of chilong ⴽǐ۷᣻㍨Չͬຯ⯯ⅲܐຉ⁄䢲Ւྋབྷ㧛
the late-Ming to mid-Qing periods, and straddling the cover from the Mandel Κ䢲㵤⠎ⅳѷ㝀⑤ⴷώ䢲ˏͬ⁳$MBHVFὊ
were found in jades, bronzes, as well as Collection, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, ⳉ䢲Ւ㢳⯯͠ˏ⹁㹩⇂㐧䢲⿉Ǘ$IJOFTF
in cloisonné enamels. A drawing of a 30 May 2012, lot 3904 (23 cm. high). It $MJTPOOF 5IF $MBHVF $PMMFDUJPOǘ䢲㲋
bronze champion vase is illustrated in is interesting to note that the distance ֠৬䢲 ໝ䢲ॱḛ ⴽ䣁۷ˏ᳦ͬᐷ࿍
the woodblock printed catalogue Xiqing between the two cylinders on the present ḓ͹Ԣ⧃ⳉ䢲 ໝ ᕕ ᑽᑞ㪁᫓ωૈ
Gujian, ‘Inspection of Antiques’, which vase and the Uldry vase is noticeably ྴሠ㇫䢲ሠި ⴽ䢲⯯˖͠㢳㹩㐧዁ǐ
may have provided inspiration for the narrower than that of the Clague and Ѣྴ₏Ⴭⅲᒶ$MBHVF⧀ᐷ࿍ḓ⧃ⳉて̣ϡ
current type of vases (fig. 1). Mandel examples. It is very likely that ⅲ㢳⁄㟢㉽ᒝ㧩⑬ᑞ᢬ͬۢᳶᤧⳉި̃㢳⁄
the present vase and the Uldry vase were 㟢㉽ǐॏ᢬ྯ⡅ᴰ⯯䢲᜴ᕖۿ⣵ᒶ〴〚˖ⅲ
designed without covers. חჍ᳦̃ǐ

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