Page 158 - 2019 September 10th Sotheby's Important Chinese Art Junkunc Collection

244 A VERY RARE GILT-BRONZE ‘LOTUS’ FITTING
HAN - TANG DYNASTY
漢至唐 銅鎏金蓮花式部件

cast in the form of a large double-lotus head with furled petals against a large lotus leaf accompanied by attendant buds and
foliage, the underside with a rectangular socket set with a small aperture pierced on either side
Height 5¼ in., 13.3 cm

$ 10,000-15,000

PROVENANCE 來源
Nagatani, Inc., Chicago, 1st December 1958. Nagatani, Inc.，芝加哥，1958年12月1日
Collection of Stephen Junkunc, III (d. 1978). 史蒂芬•瓊肯三世（1978年逝）收藏

The present lot is modeled with a rectangular socket leading to a hollow interior, and is pierced at either side with a
small aperture. This design suggests it was made for attachment, and it likely functioned as an ornamental fitting.
The overall form of the present lot can be compared to the decorative fittings set on either end of burial pillows. See
for example a pair of gilt-bronze fittings, made in the form of an animal head, flanking the jade-inset pillow of Liu
Sheng, the Prince of Zhongshan of the Western Han dynasty, excavated from his tomb in Mancheng, Hebei province,
published in Institute of Archaeology, CASS, ed., Mancheng Hanmu fajue baogao [Archaeological report of the Han
tombs in Mancheng], vol. 2, Beijing, 1980, pl. XLII, fig. 1.

The subject choice of the present fitting may suggest its possible association with Buddhism. Known in Mandarin
as hehua or lianhua, the lotus represents qualities associated with Buddhism such as purity and perfection, as the
flower rises undefiled from muddy waters. The eight petals of lotus flowers represent the Eightfold Path of Buddha’s
teachings, and Buddhist figures are usually depicted sitting on double lotus pedestals.

本品內部中空，兩側各有一小孔，故此推斷，本品應屬某 研究所編，《滿城漢墓發掘報告》，冊下，北京，1980
器物部件，具裝飾用途。本品整體造型可對比墓葬玉枕兩 年，圖版XLII，圖1。本部件的蓮花式外形或許證明其與佛
端的裝飾部件。見一對銅鎏金獸首部件，飾於一鑲玉銅枕 教有關。蓮花出淤泥而不染，象徵佛家清淨、圓滿。蓮生
兩端，西漢中山王劉勝墓出土，載於中國社會科學院考古 八瓣，代表八正道；佛像也一般趺坐於雙層蓮花臺上。

156 JUNKUNC: ARTS OF ANCIENT CHINA II