Page 191 - A Re-examination of Late Qing Dynasty Porcelain, 1850-1920 THESIS

themselves are slender with tapering sides. The body rises into angular shoulders with a

broad neck and a slightly flared upper rim. Both the neck and lower portion of the vases

have blue overglaze with intricate gilt lotus scrolls. The portion of the vases’ detail that

is the most relevant to this investigation is the central body, which depicts four distinct

floral images. Each side highlights a chrysanthemum, a peony, a lotus, and a peach

blossom. The chrysanthemum, ju, is a symbol of long life. Often associated with the

autumn season, the chrysanthemum manages to bloom at a time when other flowers begin

to fade. 241 The second flower, the peony, has already been thoroughly evaluated as one

of Cixi’s most relied-upon emblems. This blossom represents the king of all flowers.

The next flower found on the vessel, the lotus, has numerous interpretations. 242 It can

represent the summer season, and it has a connotation as a Buddhist symbol, because the

lotus flower grows from muddy ponds and blossoms into a pure white bloom. 243 The

final flower found on the vases is a peach blossom. The peach blossom is most

frequently associated with Daoism, specifically the Queen Mother of the West, who was

thought to grow the peaches of immortality. Clearly, these vases are marked by the

classic imagery that this study has found that the empress dowager used repeatedly in

both her painting and porcelain patronage. Although the vases date to earlier than Cixi’s

reign, they utilize the same iconic flowers that are intrinsic to late dynastic styles.

Flowers of these varieties can be seen on Cixi’s dayazhai wares along with the paintings

she commissioned, suggesting that although Cixi did not originate the idea of an

241 Bartholomew, Hidden Meanings in Chinese Art, 175.
242 For further discussion of the lotus see Steven D. Owyoung, "The Painting of Minol Araki and
the Lotus in Chinese Culture," in Claudia Brown, Richard Barnhart and Stephen D. Owyoung,
Minol Araki (exh. cat.: Phoenix Art Museum, 1999), 25-29.
243 Eva Ströber, Symbols on Chinese Porcelain: 10,000 Times Happiness (Keramiekmuseum
Princessehof: Arnodsche Art Publishers, 2011), 116.
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