Page 13 - Three Qianlong Rarities Christies Hong Kong May 2018

fig. 4 Qianlong Emperor ploughing the first furrow, Isidore-Stanislas Helman, 1786, engraving
圖四 1786 年赫爾曼 《乾隆帝親耕圖》 銅版畫

the Son of Heaven the emperor was an intermediary between Heaven and Earth, 行）時躬秉犂器，事後皇后必須親自奉上
and was regarded as a significant participant in all cosmic activities. If he failed 解乏之物。巴黎吉美國立亞洲藝術博物
to conduct the proper rituals and sacrifices, he could be seen as responsible for 館藏佚名清宮手卷《親耕圖》（圖三），
disasters, such as poor harvests with their concomitant effects on the empire. A 描寫的正是雍正皇帝驅策金色水牛親耕
major ritual carried out by the emperor each year required that he personally 之狀，其身畔的王公貝勒、朝廷重臣亦準
ploughed the first furrow of the spring season – traditionally the second day of 備依次上前扶犂，圖見【The Very Rich
the second lunar month – and that the Empress should personally bring him Hours of the Court of China 1662-1796 –

sustenance after his exertions. An anonymous imperial hand scroll entitled
Masterpieces from Qing imperial painting】
The Emperor ploughing the first furrow, Qingeng tu in the collection of the Musée
（巴黎，2006）。洋人對此儀式深感興
national des Arts asiatiques-Guimet in Paris (fig. 3), depicts the Yongzheng
趣，所以常有描寫乾隆親耕之作，艾爾曼
Emperor plough with a golden coloured water buffalo, while the princes and
（Isidore Stanislas Helman，1743-1806）
high officials wait to plough in their turn (exhibited in The Very Rich Hours of the
作於 1786 年的著名版畫便是一例（圖
Court of China 1662-1796 – Masterpieces from Qing imperial painting, Paris, 2006).
四）。皇帝主理先農禮，而親蠶禮（泛指
This was a ritual which fascinated European visitors to China and there are
many depictions of the Qianlong Emperor ploughing the first furrow, including 絲綢生產）則由皇后主持。皇后須於春季
the famous engraving of 1786 by Isidore Stanislas Helman (1743-1806) (fig. 4). 擇吉，於先蠶壇祭拜嫘祖，相傳嫘祖為黃
While the emperor conducted the rituals in respect of agriculture, the empress 帝元妃，後人尊之為先蠶神和紡輪的發明
was responsible for ensuring the success of sericulture (silk production). On 者。根據清代祭禮，皇后須用金鈎採桑喂
an auspicious day in spring the empress was required to conduct rituals at the 蠶，隨後嬪妃各按品級用不同材質的鈎採
Temple of the Goddess of Silk 嫘祖 Leizu, who was believed to be an empress 集桑葉。

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