Page 113 - A Re-examination of Late Qing Dynasty Porcelain, 1850-1920 THESIS

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works of the 18 century, Yuan created a connection to both the wares produced during
that peak era of porcelain production and the wares that were just fashioned in the reign

of Cixi. Commissioned porcelain vessels imitated earlier styles in an attempt to give

Yuan’s reign legitimacy while paying homage to the iconography and traditional styles of

the past. When evaluating the wares made during this era, the repetition of patterns and

forms highlights these incorporations. As during Cixi’s reign, the porcelain produced

during the Hongxian reign constitutes a wide variety, providing evidence of both styles

that were associated with traditional imperial patronage and styles that were personal

selections based on the ruler’s taste. By recreating porcelain inspired by an era

characterized by prosperity and success, Yuan visually symbolized his own power over

China.

According to the Jingdezhen Taoci Shigao 景德鎮陶瓷史稿 (A Draft History of

the Ceramics of Jingdezhen), 40,000 pieces of porcelain were ordered to commemorate

the new Hongxian emperor. The large order of porcelain followed the traditions of the

previous Qing emperors, establishing Yuan as a major porcelain patron. The large order

cost nearly 1.4 million yuan and was meant to be utilized as decorations for the imperial

palace in celebration of the Hongxian rule. 133 The instructions for the wares were simple:

they were to be made of a pure white paste that incorporated quiet designs painted with a

graceful hand. These basic instructions are actually quite telling, demanding that the

wares produced under Yuan’s patronage should adhere to the high standards previously

associated with imperial commissions. These imperial standards emphasized the quality

133 Jiangxi Light Industry Department, Ceramics Institue, Jingdezhen Taoci Shigao 景德鎮陶瓷
史稿 (Draft History of Jingdezhen) (Beijing: Sanlian shudian, 1959): 306.

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