Page 125 - Ming_China_Courts_and_Contacts_1400_1450 Craig lunas

Plate 13.2 Illustration for
display on the first level of
the Circular Mound Altar
(Huanqiu diyicheng chenshe
tu 圜丘第一成陳設圖),
Da Ming huidian 大明會典
(Collected Statutes of the
Great Ming), reprint of the
1587 edition (Taipei, 1963),
juan 82, p. 1298-1

on the basis of the Xuanhe bogu tu bronze vessel types. Chen own. The Joseon system is mainly based on Zhu Xi’s ideal
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Fang-mei has surveyed Zhu Xi’s ideas on the set of ritual Sacrifice to Sages, which belongs to the Xuanhe bogu tu system
vessels for the Sacrifice to Sages (shidian 釋奠) and (Pl. 13.3a–b; see also Pl. 13.1 right). When they were
discovered that Zhu Xi’s ideal, as shown in the above- uncertain about which form to use, they chose to keep both
mentioned Shaoxi zhouxian shidianyi tu and other relevant systems and thus fused them in some parts. 21
visual materials on ritual vessels and actual objects, was not Since there appears to be no early Ming illustration
only practised widely in the East Asian region but also lasted showing sets of ritual vessels, we will examine the objects
for a long time after the 12th century. Lee Dingeun 李定恩 themselves to explore this issue. Firstly, porcelain was the
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looked into Joseon’s fusion of the two systems, a decision primary material chosen for important ritual vessels
made during Sejong’s 世宗 reign (1397–1450) when it was not employed in worship ceremonies. Even the bian 籩 vessel,
possible to obtain definitive information on the official ritual which is supposed to be made of woven bamboo, was
practice system from the Ming court. However, in their replaced with porcelain in this system. Secondly, common
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studies, the Ming dynasty ritual system was relatively porcelain shapes were given particular ‘decoration’
absent, as there was less evidence available for reference. (symbols) to show ritual features. Thirdly, synthesised forms
No pictorial evidence of early Ming ritual vessels survives and decorations from the two previous systems were used.
today. The images included in Da Ming jili were printed in the We may find some ritual vessel examples closer to the
ninth year of the Jiajing reign (1530) and claimed to follow the Sanli tu or Xuanhe bogu tu system. However, more often we find
Hongwu emperor’s initial edition of ritual practice. This a ‘blended’ or synthesised format that came from nowhere.
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16th-century edition of Da Ming jili is itself problematic, A porcelain jar with seven bands of relief on the body and
because its publication was a byproduct of the controversial two rope-shaped handles, currently housed in the National
ritual reconstruction known as the Great Ritual Controversy Palace Museum, is a fitting example (Pl. 13.4). This
in the Jiajing period. Apart from the jue 爵 vessel (which creative form could be regarded as a bian or other ritual
remains a bronze-specific shape), it is difficult for scholars to vessel among the set of early Ming ritual vessels. Other likely
differentiate ritual vessels from the other vessels and thereby candidates appear hybrids of the two previous systems.
establish a clear picture of early Ming ritual vessels, due to It is particularly interesting if we compare the situation
the use of porcelain in utilitarian forms. with Joseon examples of buncheon 粉青 wares, in which there
However, there are some hints from objects with is a merging of the two systems of Sanli tu and Xuanhe bogu tu,
outstanding features or shapes identical to those pictured in as mentioned above. The Baur Foundation has a Ming
ritual books, which might help us to explore this question a ceramic jar incised with a cow-like animal on the belly (Pl.
little further. It is helpful to compare the Ming dynasty 13.5). This jar might have been made with reference to the
ceramic-oriented system with the Joseon dynasty’s Jegidoseol xizun 犧尊 of the Xuanhe bogu tu system in Da Ming jili (Pl.
祭器圖說 (Illustrated Catalogue of Ritual Vessels), compiled 13.6). According to the Da Ming jili (usually), the animal was
during the reign of King Sejong. After being rejected by supposed to be made into a 3d vessel; in this case, the
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the Ming emperors in its request for ritual books, King illustration of the animal was squarely transplanted on to
Sejong’s court decided to study the ritual practice on their the jar as a 2d motif. On the other hand, the depiction of an

The New Idea of Ritual Vessels in the Early Ming Dynasty: A Third System? | 115