Page 29 - Ming Porcelain Sothebys march 2018

he present album is a particularly well-preserved edition of the
͑ᆀɧϋd׼ϓख़ࢱެΧፋᅠɽ׼ʠѽެΧ celebrated book, Daming Renxiao Huanghou Quanshanshu [Book of
ᘉഛࣣ‘dፄΥኊᙑ༸ܠซdϙίኬɛΣഛf T exhortation for virtuous deeds by the Empress Renxiao of the Great
͉ۜމՉʕɓوഛ͉dۜ޴ҁλfΌࣣϙί܁ Ming] written by Empress Xu (1362-1407) in 1405, which brings together
౮˜ഛెʘజdଣϞ್̀™dӊᇐක࠯ˏՊ̩א teachings from Confucianism, Buddhism and Daoism that encourage good
ࣸԊdԨڝዝ̦౛݂fࣣ͋ڝመެɿe֚܃ɿ᣾ deeds. Each chapter opens with proverbs and quotations that are supported
ഃܝҏd˸ʿ˖؛ࠠЅආڌfІϤࣣৎdᘉഛ by historical anecdotes, with the central theme heeding the warning that good
ࣣ‘ɓᗳࣣᘬක֐ݴБf
deeds will be rewarded and punishment will befall bad deeds. It concludes
ࢱެΧd͉Τᄃശd׼˄ख़ݳ؛܎ක਷̌Ѕࢱ with the Exhortations, where her sons and nephews give their endorsements
༺ၾʩৣᑽ˃ɛʘڗɾdւ˄ख़ሮ੎d஢ެɿ of the book, followed by a listing of all the important military and civil o" cials
ϡ಑{{у˚ܝ׼ϓख़͑ᆀ܎fࢱˤ׌ሬᅆλ who praised it. The success of this publication helped establish quanshanshu
ኪd̦༱˜̼ࠊ᎑dλᛘࣣd၈ɾመ͛™fݳ؛ɘ
(books to promote good deeds) as a popular literary genre.
ϋɚɛϓ੎iܔ˖̬ϋ׼ϓख़уЗdΝϋ܆ࢱ
ˤމΧf׼ϓख़ዝɧϋཨᗭʘҘϾ೮Зdࢱˤ Empress Xu, whose given name was Yihua, was the eldest daughter of Lady
ፋᅠᅰࣣd཯Б˂ɨdᘉഛጐᅃʘቱdၪᚐެ
Xie and General Xu Da (1332-1385), a comrade-in-arms of the Hongwu
ᛆ͍୕dމެ܎ن՟͏ːfৰ͉ࣣ̮d͑ᆀʩ
Emperor, father of the later Yongle Emperor. It was the wish of Hongwu that
ϋಀ཯̚ʦडɾෂ‘dϣϋᇜʫ৅‘fࢱެ
their children be married. Regarded as a virtuous and quiet child, Empress Xu
Χߐʫ৅‘Іࠑආࢗڋࣛdᐏ˄ख़৷ެΧ৵
ˤ઄ː઺ኬdชׂίːfኽ׼jެಃସ˰ʞɤ was given the nickname ‘the female student’ (nuzhusheng) because of her love
ϋ‘࢝ᚎྡ፽༱d˜׼ڋዝ΂ެ܎ޫࠠൖܝࢗ of reading. Married in 1376 and appointed Empress upon the Yongle Emperor’s
ɾହᅃБdܝࢗɾɿሬૺࠊᅆdᗇ׼ެ܎ɗ͍ ascension to the throne in 1402, she wrote several books. These writings
୕׼ёf˼ࡁ૧΋ͭܝࢗɾᅃމ࿮ᅵdϣϾપ served to legitimize her imperial line and she attempted to ameliorate the
ᄿЇ˂ɨመᖴ™dɽߵ௹ي᎜dࡐ౱d2014ϋd violence following the three-year civil war that brought her husband to power.
ࠫ60fʫ৅‘ၾᘉഛࣣ‘ɓٜݴБ׵׼૶Շ
Her other writings include Gujin lienu zhuan [Biographies of illustrious women
ಃdՉᅂᚤޟЇჃᅧᒵ਷e˚͉f
past and present], published in 1403, and Neixun [Household instructions] of
ᘉഛࣣ‘π˰و͉d̙Ԉ׵΢ɽϗᔛf̨̹̏ 1404. In Neixun she gracefully acknowledges the teachings she received in her
਷࢕ྡࣣ᎜ᔛɓԷd॰ࣣ໮306 07588ȉԯ ! rst years at the palace that she received from her mother-in-law, Empress
࠯ேྡࣣ᎜ᔛɓԷd॰ࣣ໮04808iࠠᅅྡࣣ Ma. According to the catalogue to the exhibition Ming. 50 Years that Changed
᎜͵ᔛɓԷiMuban Foundation ϗᔛୋ̬Էd China, The British Museum, London, 2014, p. 60, ‘[t]he preoccupation of the
፽׼jެಃସ˰ʞɤϋ‘d̈ஈΝɪdᇜ໮37f
early Ming emperors with correct behaviour of court ladies was connected to
their e# orts to prove themselves rightful rulers. They sought to establish Ming
ladies’ court etiquette and to spread this behaviour to vassal states’. Both
Neixun and the present book remained in$ uential throughout the Ming and
Qing dynasties in China as well as in Korea and Japan.