Page 121 - Sotheby's Fine Chinese Art NYC September 2023

This important document is an exquisitely preserved Xuanzong Shilu (1399-1435) juan 22, which makes it a
example of an early Ming dynasty imperial mandate. significant physical document of early Ming imperial history.
This mandate was for officials of the highest ranks, known
as gaoshu, which is indicated by the use of five-colored Imperial mandates of the early Ming period are extremely
brocades, the inscription ‘Huangdi zhi yue’ (imperial rare, and most are in museum collections. Compare a closely
mandate) in the second line, along with the seal mark of the related example, dated 1413, for conferring the Zanshan
same characters at the end. Prince title to Lingzang Guanding Guoshi, Zhusibar Gyaincain
(d. circa 1425), now in the Management Committee of
During the early Ming period, influence of the central Cultural Relics of the Tibetan Autonomous Region, illustrated
court over the Tibet region was comparatively weaker in Wen Zhu, ‘Xizang defang Ming feng bawang de youguan
than during the Yuan dynasty. To maintain control, the wenwu [A survey of cultural relics related to the grant of
Ming court granted official titles to various local military, religious titles to eight kings by the Ming court in Tibetan
political and religious figures. This mandate, written in both regions]’, Wenwu, September 1985, fig. 7, p. 93. Compare
Chinese and Tibetan, appoints Zan Buba, a local military also a late Ming example dated 1606, sold at Christie’s
leader, as Assistant Commander (Du zhihui qianshi). Hong Kong, 29th November 2017, lot 3029.
This appointment is also documented in Ming Shilu,

238 SOTHEBY’S COMPLETE CATALOGUING AVAILABLE AT SOTHEBYS.COM/N11275