Page 40 - Bonhams UK Marsh Collection Art for the Literati November 2, 2022

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A RARE BLUE AND WHITE DOCUMENTARY 'KUI XING' VESSEL The Chinese character Kui (魁) is composed of the ideograph for
Dated to the Jiawu year, corresponding to 1654 and of the period 'demon' (鬼) and the ideograph for 'ladle' (斗). The ladle or 'dipper'
Superbly potted with gently curving walls rising to a flat lipped rim, (as Kui Xing is also associated with the North Star) is depicted on the
painted around the exterior in underglaze blue with Kui Xing holding a present lot in the form of a square vessel floating above the waves. Kui
brush and silver ingot riding a cloud above swirling waves, his scarves Xing is often portrayed with a demonic appearance, a hideous face, a
billowing in the wind, the north-star constellation in the sky along with horn-like protuberance on his head, and a sinewy body. According to
a square dou measure, calligraphic inscription. legend, he was once a mortal scholar with outstanding literary skills
22.1cm (8 3/4in) diam. but was repeatedly failed in the civil service examinations due to his
repulsive appearance. Out of frustration and humiliation, Kui Xing threw
£20,000 - 30,000 himself into a river, where he was saved by a mythical monster called
CNY160,000 - 240,000 an ao. He then ascended to the Big Dipper and became the stellar
patron of the literati and the God of Literature.
甲午年（公元1654年) 青花魁星圖盌
Dreaming of Kui Xing the night before the exams was considered an
Provenance: auspicious sign and the candidate who obtained the highest results,
Berwald Oriental Art, London, 4 November 2014 known as the First Scholar (zhangyuan), would walk first on a staircase
decorated with the ao mythical beast. Representations of Kui Xing and
來源： Ao are thus a symbol of literary success and highest achievement at
倫敦古董商 Berwald Oriental Art，2014年11月4日 the Imperial examinations.

Identified by the writing brush held in his raised hand and his iconic The other side is with a calligraphic inscription in three lines:
'back-kick' posture, Kui Xing 魁星 ('Chief Star') is a Daoist deity
worshipped to obtain academic success. It would therefore, have 北極之象，太陰之精
been extremely auspicious for a scholar to have his items decorated 鍾英毓秀，翼我文明
with this figure, to inspire him in his writing and achieve examination 甲午春日寫於花前解貂
success.
Which may be translated as:
The image of the polestar
and the essence of the Moon
Concentrate what's special, nurture what's refined
and advance the brilliance of literary culture
Written on a Spring day in the Jiawu year (1654) before flowers and
undoing fur.

Of particular interest is the last line: 'before flowers and undoing fur',
encapsulating the changing season from winter to spring when one
sheds warmer clothes for lighter ones. It hints at the Jin dynasty
official Ruan Fu, who is said to have exchanged his expensive furs
for cheap wine. He was impeached by officials but was pardoned by
the emperor. The term 'exchanging gold and fur for wine' became
a metaphor for unfettered pleasure and individuality, characteristics
admired by late Ming literati.

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
40 | BONHAMS please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.