Page 91 - Ming_China_Courts_and_Contacts_1400_1450 Craig lunas

Plate 8.9 Anonymous, Amusements in the Xuande Emperor’s Plate 8.10 Anonymous, Amusements in the Xuande Emperor’s
Palace (Zhu Zhanji xingle tu 朱瞻基行樂圖), detail showing food Palace (Zhu Zhanji xingle tu 朱瞻基行樂圖), detail showing drink
table. Xuande period, 1426–35, or Chenghua period, 1465–87. table. Xuande period, 1426–35, or Chenghua period, 1465–87.
Handscroll, ink and colours on silk, image height 36.6cm, length Handscroll, ink and colours on silk, image height 36.6cm, length
687cm, with mount, height 38.5cm, length 1044cm. The Palace 687cm; with mount, height 38.5cm, length 1044cm. The Palace
Museum, Beijing Museum, Beijing
such as demon-quelling staffs (khaṭvāṅga) were sometimes what about the vessels used in the emperor’s own dining
22
marked in a four-character Yongle seal script. Bronze practices? Here it will be suggested that blue-and-white was
sculptures were marked either with the character ‘to present’ used for palace ornament, palace entertainment and palace
(shi 施) or the character meaning ‘made’ (zhi 製). These gifts, but that the emperor himself did not use it at all.
23
marks were frequently copied. No Yongle marked cloisonné Although the material evidence is slim, it does tend to
24
pieces survive but there are several examples with Xuande support this argument.
marks. Lacquer pieces marked with both types of inscription One Ming court painting shows a wonderful banquet for
25
were presented by the imperial court to other courts both one (Pl. 8.9), prepared for the emperor, who is depicted
within China and abroad. For example, a gift from the Ming pitching arrows into a golden pot while he is watched by his
court to the Ashikaga shoguns of Japan is recorded in the personal palace attendants. They hold red lacquer trays
well-known inventory of 1403, which lists 58 items that were filled with snacks, and gold decanters to pour wine into a
diplomatic gifts, including carved red lacquer. 26 gold cup. This scene appears towards the end of a scroll that
Very few genuine examples of underglaze blue Yongle has already depicted the emperor playing and watching
marks survive. There are three blue-and-white cups in the archery, polo and a form of mini-golf. After these exertions
Palace Museum, Beijing, known as yashou bei 壓手杯 (Pl. he needed a hearty meal. The table is set with 14 golden food
8.8). There are a few others of this type worldwide, but dishes piled high, and in front of these dishes are four gold
27
they are very rare. What is surprising is that their four- bowls, perhaps containing other delicacies or soups. There is
character Yongle marks are written in a clerical script. All just one pair of gold chopsticks, of the kind excavated from
other marked porcelains of this period are marked with an the tomb of Prince Zhuang of Liang 梁莊王 (1411–41) and his
archaic seal script mark, the form of which connects the wife Lady Wei 魏 (d. 1451), but there is no blue-and-white
Yongle emperor with China’s ancient past, perhaps helping porcelain visible. 31
to legitimise his position as ruler. This disparity probably The nearby drinks table (Pl. 8.10) has three jars for wine
means that blue-and-white porcelain was considered less on red lacquer stands, a covered mixing bowl, a wine bottle,
important than the copper-reds and ‘sweet white’ wares, cup and decanter. These are decorated with designs of
which use an archaic seal script for their date mark. Marks dragons among clouds, but they are all made of gold. The
28
29
on porcelain are, of course, introduced in the Yongle reign. detailing is very specific. The lacquer table is inlaid with a
There are no genuine reign marks of the Ming founder, the multi-colour stone top in the same style as the four tables
Hongwu emperor. It is typical of the Yongle emperor’s desire buried in Prince Huang of Lu’s 魯荒王 (1370–89) tomb in
to legitimise his position and proclaim his authority that he Shandong. The texture of the curtains, the leaves of the
32
should have begun a tradition that would last until the end of trees and the ground are all carefully depicted, and the very
the imperial era. blue pigment needed to represent blue-and-white is used as a
A second observation relates to the emperors’ personal border in the stone screen behind the vessels. Yet there are
use of blue-and-white in the early 1400s.We know the no blue-and-white porcelains here. The gold vessel forms
copper-red and pure white vessels were used for rituals, but that are shown on the lacquer table are all familiar to us
30

Early Ming Ceramics: Rethinking the Status of Blue-and-White | 81