Page 60 - Sotheby's Important Chinese Art, Sept. 21-22, 2-21, NYC

Archaic bronze vessels forming an original set seldom 青銅器成組者極少同時現身市場，而本組否叔器不僅
appear on the market. The present lot is important not only 六件成套無疑，同時每件皆鑄有銘文，按器形依次
because the contents indisputably belong to the same set 遞減，學術價值極高，為研究西周青銅器文化提供
but also because their inscriptions provide valuable insights
into ritual bronze culture during the Western Zhou dynasty. 了寶貴的實物資料，尤為難得。否叔器除本組外另
In addition to the six bronzes offered in the current sale, 有一件青銅卣（圖一），與本組尊器同銘，初見於
the ‘Pi Shu’ set also includes a bronze you (fig. 1) which is 比利時古董商吉賽爾1998年展覽《從古代王國到中華
inscribed with the same seventeen-character inscription as 帝國——國際亞洲藝術節》，紐約，1998年，頁30及
the zun from the current group. The you first appeared in 31。此卣後被比利時藏家 Leon Derwa 收藏，繼為歐
Gisèle Croës Arts D’Extreme Orient’s exhibition From Ancient
Kingdoms to Imperial China, International Asian Art Fair, New 宗易收藏，並於近年上拍於倫敦邦瀚斯2018年11月8
York, 1998, pp 30 and 31. It later entered the collection of 日，編號15。
the Belgium collector Leon Derwa and was recently offered
at Bonhams London, 8th November 2018, lot 15, from the 否叔器對於學術界絕不陌生，至今已有許多學者對其
collection of Jean-Yves Ollivier. 銘文進行過釋讀考證，但各家眾說紛紜。目前主要的
The inscriptions of the ‘Pi Shu’ vessels are no stranger 爭論點在於銘文中的一個圖形文字，此銘於尊、卣、
to the academic world. There has been much discussion 觚上均可見，位於其銘文之最末。張光裕先生是最早
by scholars attempting to decipher the meaning of these 針對此一課題進行研究的學者。張氏認為此銘應讀為
ancient texts. Different theories were developed based on
the interpretation of a rather peculiar pictogram, which 「霝」，或為否叔之母名，亦或作善終之意（詳見〈
appears at the end of the inscription on the zun, you, and 西周遣器新識——否叔尊銘之啟示〉，《中央研究
gu. Cheung Kwong-yue was the first scholar who explored 院歷史語言研究所集刊》，第七十本，第三分，台
this subject. Cheung proposes this pictogram should read 北，1999年，頁768及769）。陳英傑先生同意張氏的 Fig. 1 Pi Shu you, illustrated in Cheung Kwong-Yue, ‘The Inscriptions of Pi Shu Zun -
ling 霝, which can be interpreted either as the name of Pi 釋讀，但對銘文內容有不同的解釋。陳氏認為否叔患 Shedding New Light on Dispatch Wares of the Western Zhou’, Bulletin of Institute of
Shu’s mother or it could be an auspicious expression to History and Philology, Academia Sinica, vol. 70, pt. 3, Taipei, 1999, p. 772
convey his mother reached a perfect ending of her life (see 病，久不能愈，以為是其母神靈的作祟，故製此組宗
‘The Inscriptions of Pi Shu Zun - Shedding New Light on 器用來遣送作祟母親的神靈（詳見《西周金文作器用 圖一 否叔卣 錄於張光裕，〈西周遣器新識——否叔尊銘之啟示〉，《中央研究院歷史
語言研究所集刊》，第七十本，第三分，台北，1999年，頁772
Dispatch Wares of the Western Zhou’, Bulletin of Institute 途銘辭研究（下）》，2008年，北京，頁550及551）
of History and Philology, Academia Sinica, vol. 70, pt. 3, 。另有學者將此銘釋讀為「眚」，有災意。這一觀點
Taipei, 1999, pp 768 and 769). Chen Yingjie agrees with 最初由李學勤先生提出（見〈論殷墟卜辭的新星〉，
Cheung’s identification of the pictogram but suggests an
alternative interpretation. He believes Pi Shu had an illness 《北京師範大學學報》，第2期，2000年，頁15），
caused by the spirit of his mother, and therefore, he made 後由李春桃先生加以延伸，李氏對於銘文的解釋同 Wu’s argument is perhaps the most plausible among the 吳先生的論點在目前看來應該最有可能。通過仔細檢
various theories developed by scholars. A close examination
these ritual vessels for his mother to cast her spirit away 持否叔逝母作祟說（詳見〈否叔諸器銘文釋讀——兼 視尊、觚實物以及卣銘的照片，可見上文所論之銘文
(see Xi Zhou jinwen zuoqi yongtu mingci yanjiu [Research 釋甲骨文中的「眚」字〉，《文史》，第1輯，北 of the pictogram cast on the zun and gu and in the published 中間實為一個口，而左右兩側的部分明顯故意未做封
of the inscriptions on the function of Western Zhou dynasty 京，2019年，頁5至12）。 image of the you reveal the two radicals flanking the central 口，從而形成一個C的形狀。由此可見吳氏對此銘的
bronzes], vol. 2, 2008, Beijing, pp 550 and 551). Another square were intentionally cast not as a closed square but 辨讀十分準確。與此同時，吳先生對於此銘的解讀亦
with an opening on one side forming a ‘C’ shape, which
possible reading of the pictogram is sheng 眚, which means
‘disaster’. This interpretation was first proposed by Li 關於此課題目前最新的研究討論見於吳鎮烽先生於 suggests that Wu’s observation is accurate. Wu’s theory is 符合金文格式。金文中尤其常見於主體文字後附一族
Xueqin (see ‘Lun Yinxu buci de xinxing / On the Novae in 2020年所發表的文章。吳氏的研究對此一銘文的釋 also consistent with the format of archaic bronze inscriptions, 徽之例，用以表示器主之宗屬。然而吳氏文章中亦有
Shang Oracle-bone Inscriptions’, Journal of Beijing Normal 讀提出了一個全新的方向。以往學者皆認為此銘的 which often end the text with a clan sign, indicating the family 一處疑問未及涉論。在細觀否叔尊實物上的族徽銘之
to which the owner of the vessel belonged. There is, however,
University, vol. 2, Beijing, 2000, p. 15), and has been further 結構是由三個平行排列的口組成。吳氏提出此銘結 後，可見此銘除了基本的結構之外，上面另可清晰見
developed by Li Chuntao, who also believes that Pi Shu 構並非並列的三個口，而實為中間一個方框，左右 another observation that Wu did not address in his paper. The 到一道短橫，斷應為銘字的一部分而非是鑄造瑕疵。
was haunted by his deceased mother and made this set of pictogram found on the zun is cast with an additional short
ritual vessels to expel disaster (see ‘Pishuzhuqi mingwen 各為一個C形符號。此銘並非文句的一部分，而是 horizontal stroke above. It is distinctly structured as part of 吳氏在其文章中所列舉之相類族徽銘例皆未見此橫，
shidu – jianshi jiaguwen zhongde ‘sheng’ zi [Deciphering the 一個族徽，而相類族徽亦可見於其他西周青銅器之 the composition rather than a casting flaw. The related clan 尚不知何解，更待以後深入研究。
inscription of the Pi Shu vessels – and the studying of the 上。由此一來，否叔器的銘文即變得清晰易懂，其 symbols cited by Wu in his article all lack this stroke on the
‘sheng’ character in oracle bone inscriptions]’, Wenshi, no. 1, 內容並非記載否叔母親的鬼魂作祟，而是記錄了否 top. This is a mystery yet to be solved and would require 否叔器組屬一類特殊的青銅器，名為「遣器」。遣意
Beijing, 2019, pp 5-12). 叔盡力辦理一組獻給亡母的宗彝，用以致送其母（ further investigation before a comprehensive understanding 為送，遣器則是專門為逝者鑄造並陪伴其入葬的宗
of the ‘Pi Shu’ vessels can be achieved.
The most recent study on this topic was conducted by Wu 詳見〈釋讀山西黎城出土的季姒盤銘文——兼論否 This set of ‘Pi Shu’ vessels belong to a special type of 器。遣器作為中國青銅文化的一個重要類別，存世
Zhenfeng, who has added a new theory to the discourse. The 叔器〉，《復旦大學出土文獻與古文字研究中心（ 作例極為罕有，故此其研究價值極高。據吳鎮烽先生
previous scholars’ readings of this pictogram assumed that ritual bronzes called qianqi (dispatch vessels). Qianqi were 統計（〈論青銅器中的「行器」及其相關器物〉，《
it is composed of three aligned squares. Wu argues that the 網站）》，上海，2020年）。 commemorative bronzes made to accompany the deceased
pictogram in question is not formed by three squares but is in the afterlife. Qianqi is a crucial category in ancient Chinese 復旦大學出土文獻與古文字研究中心（網站）》，上
bronze culture, and the number of surviving examples of
composed of a single square flanked by a pair of addorsed 海，2018年），目前已知西周遣器除本組否叔器外，
‘C’ components. Instead of forming part of a sentence, qianqi is extremely small. Based on Wu Zhenfeng’s research 另僅見兩例。其一為遣盉，亞瑟•M•賽克勒收藏，
this pictogram is in fact a clan sign, which can be found (‘Lun qingtonqi zhongde ‘xingqi’ jiqi xiangguan qiwu 錄於傑西卡•羅森，《Western Zhou Ritual Bronzes
on other Western Zhou dynasty bronzes. With this clan [Studying of the ‘travel vessels’ and the related vessels]’, from the Arthur M. Sackler Collection》，華盛頓及劍
Fudan University Research on Chinese Excavated Classics
pictogram now removed from the context of the sentences,
Wu argues that the inscription flows perfectly, eliminating and Paleography (website), Shanghai, 2018), in addition to 橋，1990年，圖版115；其二為遣妊爵，現藏北京故
the interpretation that Pi Shou was haunted by his mother’s the ‘Pi Shu’ set, only two other qianqi from the Western Zhou 宮博物院，載中國社會科學院考古研究所編，《殷周
spirit. Instead, the inscription records that Pi Shou diligently dynasty are known. One is the Qian he from the Arthur M. 金文集成》，北京，2007年，編號08137。
Sackler Collection, published in Jessica Rawson, Western
prepared this set of vessels as an offering to be sent
(buried) with his deceased mother (see Wu Zhenfeng, Shidu Zhou Ritual Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sackler Collection,
Shanxi Licheng chutude jisipan mingwen – jianlun Pishuqi Washington, D.C. and Cambridge, 1990, pl. 115; the second is
[Deciphering the inscription on the Ji Si pan excavated from the Qian Ren jue from the Palace Museum, Beijing, published
in The Institute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social
Licheng, Shanxi province – and the studying of the Pi Shu
vessels], Fudan University Research on Chinese Excavated Sciences, ed., Yinzhou jinwen jicheng [Compendium of Yin
Classics and Paleography (website), Shanghai, 2020). and Zhou bronze inscriptions], Beijing, 2007, no. 08137.
56 SOTHEBY’S COMPLETE CATALOGUING AVAILABLE AT SOTHEBYS.COM/N10748 IMPORTANT ARCHAIC BRONZES FROM THE MACLEAN COLLECTION 57