Page 103 - 2019 OctoberSur Quo Wei Lee Collectim Important Chinese Art Hong Kong

This elegant vessel, modelled after a Buddhist 此器效法佛教缽，臥足歛口，與淺浮雕八吉祥飾
alms bowl, is skilfully carved in low relief with 紋相呼應，或為佛堂祭典所作。同類玉缽，據錄
bajixiang, or ‘Eight Auspicious Emblems’. 有供於宮中佛壇者。乾隆二十二年（1757年）
Both the form and design suggests that it was ，高宗南巡至蘇州開元寺，賞其佛缽，便曾命人
probably made for a religious altar or for use
以玉仿製，供於清宮佛堂。
in ritual ceremonies. Jade alms bowls, such as
the present lot, are recorded as being made for
一組八種之吉祥圖案，原用於古印度登基或宗教
imperial Buddhist temples. In 1757, during a
典禮等，隨時間潮流更迭，吉祥物品組合有所
tour to the South, the Qianlong Emperor highly
變換。佛教八吉祥象徵神靈為釋迦牟尼佛所獻
praised an alms bowl at the Kaiyuan Temple in
寶物，元時傳入中國，常見綴於瓷器等藝品。
Suzhou and ordered similar vessels to be made
至清，八吉祥紋飾已有既定組合，正如此缽，
in jade for imperial altars.
從右至左順序為：輪、螺、傘、蓋、花、罐、
Groups of eight symbols were originally used
魚、長。
in ancient India in religious ceremonies and at
occasions such as the enthronement of kings.
第三代從男爵 Framjee Dinshaw Petit 男爵伉儷
The symbols evolved over time with different
舊藏一白玉八吉祥缽，尺寸略小，曾售於倫敦佳
objects falling in and out of favour. The Eight
士得2011年11月8日，編號194。另比較美國名
Buddhist symbols represent the offerings
媛米莉森．羅傑斯（Millicent Rogers）舊藏玉
presented to Shakyamuni by the gods upon his
enlightenment, and entered China around the 缽，稍大，底飾浪濤，售於香港佳士得2012年
time of the Yuan dynasty. These symbols can be 11月28日，編號2127。北京故宮博物院清宮舊
found thereafter on ceramics and other types of 藏青或碧玉缽數件，可作比照，圖見《故宮博物
artworks. By the Qing dynasty, as seen on the 院藏品大系・玉器編》，卷9：清，北京，2011
present bowl, the combination and the order of 年，圖版279-283。
the symbols has been standardised: the Wheel
of Law, the Conch, the Standard of Victory, the
Parasol, the Lotus, the Vase, the Twin Fish and
the Endless Knot.
A slightly smaller white jade alms bowl similarly
decorated with bajixiang, from the collection
of Sir Framjee Dinshaw Petit, 3rd Baronet, and
Lady Syla Dinshaw Petit, was sold at Christie’s
London, 8th November 2011, lot 194; and a
slightly larger example from the collection
of Millicent Rogers, but the base carved with
waves, was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 28th
November 2012, lot 2127. Compare also a few
celadon and spinach-green jade alms bowls from
the Qing court collection, preserved in the Palace
Museum, Beijing, and illustrated in Compendium
of Collections in the Palace Museum. Jade, vol. 9:
Qing Dynasty, Beijing, 2011, pls 279-283.