Page 52 - Sothebys Fine Chinese Art London, November 2018

The Five Elders of Juyang were high ministers of the Northern the colours of nature. For example, he extolled the Jade Mountain
Song court: Du Yan, Wang Huan, Bi Shichang, Feng Ping, and Depicting a Spring Morning at Dantai (originally called Verdant
Zhu Guan. After retiring from office, they lived reclusively in Colours in the Southern Mountains), created in the 46th year of his
Juyang (in present-day Shangqiu, Henan) and often gathered to reign (1781), in the following poetic couplet: “The green base colour
compose poetry. They were all blessed with longevity: Du Yan and the white patterns look as if painted; the carved peaks and trees
lived to 80, Feng Ping 87, Zhu Guan 88, Wang Huan 90, and take on a form of their own”. In other words, the craftsmen exploited
Bi Shichang 94. They garnered the respect and admiration of the colours of the raw jade to depict the mountains, water, trees, and
their contemporaries, and their story became a popular painting peaks of the scene, ingeniously combining nature and artifice. They
subject. In his old age, the Qianlong Emperor yearned for did not value white jade blindly and exclusively. This can serve as a
longevity, and this was reflected in the many longevity-themed lesson for collectors and connoisseurs of jade today.
works of jade carvings produced during his reign. Although the
present jade brush pot depicts the Five Elders as recluses in 1. International Exhibition of Chinese Art, Royal Academy of Arts, London, 1935-6, cat. no. 2794.
nature, the peaches and lingzhi fungi they hold make explicit 2. Hu Jian, ‘Percival David and the 1935 London International Exhibition of Chinese Art’, Wenwu shijie,
2009:6. China Second Archive and Liu Nannan, eds., ‘Select Historical Sources for the Beijing Palace
the Emperor’s wish for a long life. Of course, it is also possible Museum’s Participation in the London International Exhibition of Chinese Art’, Minguo dang’an,
that the craftsmen wanted to curry the Emperor’s favour by March 2010.
proactively emphasizing the theme of longevity. 3. Wu Luzhen, Maoshi Cao Mu Niao Shou Chong Yu Shu [Commentary on botanical and zoological terms in
the Book of Songs], vol II, Siku Quanshu [Complete Library in Four Sections] – Jing [Literature] Section, Shi
The colour of this jade brush pot is well suited to the subject matter. [Poetry] Section, Maoshi Cao Mu Niao Shou Chong Yu Shu [Commentary on botanical and zoological terms
in the Book of Songs), vol II.
Among extant Qing imperial brush pots, we find that those made
4. Yang Zhishui and Guo Xuelei, “Bitong shitong, xiangtong”, Shoucangjia, 2006: vol.3.
from spinach-green jade generally depict landscape subjects with
5. Zhu Yizun, Baoshuting ji, vol. 61 in Siku quanshu, ji section, [Collections of individual writers].
figures. The colour of the jade naturally evokes vegetation and infuses
6. China First Archive and the Art Museum of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, ed., Qinggong
the composition with a feeling of peace and tranquillity. Always an Neiwufu Zaobanchu dang’an zonghui [Complete compilation of the archival material of the Qing dynasty
astute connoisseur of jade, the Qianlong Emperor favoured spinach- imperial workshops], vol. 52, Beijing: Renmin chuban she, 2005.
green jade. He often purposefully chose raw jade with imperfections 7. Zhang Guangwen, ed., Gugong bowuyuan cang wenwu zhenpin quanji – Yuqi 2 / The Complete
Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum – Jade II, pls 168 and 169, Hong Kong: Sanlian Publishing
and blemishes because he believed that these could better represent
and Commercial Press, 1996.

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