Page 5 - Christie's July 9th 2020 Hong Kong Important Chinese Works of Art

REVERED ELEGANCE –

A VERY RARE SONG DYNASTY VASE

Rosemary Scott
Senior International Academic Consultant

This exceptionally beautiful vase belongs to an extremely rare group of 大美無言：
Southern Song cylindrical celadon vases, which appear to have been especially
treasured in Japan for use in the tea ceremony. Such vessels are without either 南宋龍泉窯筒式花插
complex shape or distracting decoration, which serves to highlight the exquisite
colour and texture of the glaze. The glaze on this particular vase is an especially 蘇玫瑰
fine example of the Longquan celadon glaze known as kinuta celadon 砧青瓷 in 國際亞洲藝術部學術總監
Japan. While this name literally refers to a mallet-shape, it has come to denote
the most prized of Longquan glazes. Cylindrical celadon vases of this type
were particularly admired and were used to hold flower arrangements displayed 本拍品清麗絕俗，同類型的南宋筒式青釉花插一器難
at Japanese tea ceremonies. 求，是日本茶道用器的上上之選。這批作品造型洗練，
紋飾簡約，益顯其釉色之細膩腴潤。本花插所施的龍泉
These flower arrangements chabana 茶花 provided one of the focuses of attention 青釉，正是日本「砧青磁」中的佳妙之作。雖然「砧青
for those attending a tea gathering, and were usually displayed in the alcove 磁」字面是指形似紙槌，但儼然已成為絕色龍泉青釉之
(tokonoma 床の間 ), which housed items used to set the theme of a particular 代名詞。此類筒式花插備受推崇，常用作日式茶道的陳
gathering. There would often be a kakemono 掛物 – a hanging scroll with 設花器。
calligraphy or painting in the tokonama. The vase of flowers would either
be placed with the hanging scroll and would complement it, or in certain 對與會者而言，「茶花」是茶會的焦點之一，它們多置
circumstances the hanging scroll might be displayed for one part of the tea 於「床の間」（即「凹間」），而凹間的陳設品則決定
ceremony and the flowers for another. The style of flower arranging for the tea 了一場茶會的基調。「掛物」（即立軸書畫）乃常見的
ceremony is known as nageire 抛 入 or ‘thrown in’ style, which developed over 陳設品。瓶花與掛物或同時出現、交相輝映，或先後出
time from ikebana 生け花 (arranging flowers), which in turn had its origins 現於不同的茶道環節。茶道提倡「拋入」式的插花風格，
in the flower offerings of early Buddhism. Chabana developed alongside wabi- 此派衍生於傳統「生け花」（即「華道」），而華道則
cha 侘茶 (wabi tea, which emphasised simplicity) in the Momoyama Period 源自早期佛教獻祭花卉的習俗。「茶花」與「侘茶」（以
(1573–1615), with Sen no Rikyū ( 千利休 , 1522–1591) as its most influential 簡約為上的茶風）在桃山時代（公元 1573 至 1615 年）
exponent. Chabana were specifically the flowers appropriate to accompany 漸成氣候，箇中能手首推茶聖千利休（1522 至 1591
the tea ceremony, and certain flowers were not deemed suitable – such as those 年）。「茶花」專指適用於茶道之花，至於香濃、名俗、
with strong fragrances, those with unpleasant names, those with blooms which 長開及四時不分者，概屬不宜。除了要精心挑選適用於
lasted too long, or those which were not clearly associated with a particular 茶會和場所的花卉，物色花器亦頗多講究。在材質各異
season. However, it was not only the flowers themselves which had to be 的芸芸花器之中，中國筒式青釉瓶古樸凝練且貴為「唐
carefully chosen and appropriate to the venue of the tea gathering, but also the 物」，所以向來深受日本茶人喜愛。
containers in which they were displayed. Containers could be made of a range
of different materials, but the deceptively simple grace of Chinese celadon 唐代以降，日本菁英階級對中國陶瓷莫不趨之若鶩，到
cylindrical vases, together with their place as treasured karamono, would have 了南宋，當地藏家對中國藝術的興趣更是有增無減。
greatly appealed to Japanese tea masters. 誠如西田宏子教授所言，鎌倉時代（公元 1185 至 1392
年）的「⋯⋯佛寺及武士階層的諸多儀式、室內裝潢和
Chinese ceramics had been appreciated by the Japanese elite since the Tang 茶會，所用藝術品與裝飾藝術皆以中國舶來品居多。」
dynasty, and with the advent of the Southern Song period came an increased 相關的論述請見西田宏子所撰〈The Collection and
enthusiasm for Chinese art amongst Japanese collectors. Indeed, Professor Appreciation of Chinese Art Objects in 15th-16th Century
Hiroko Nishida has written that in the Kamakura period (1185-1392): ‘... the Japan, and their Legacy〉，全文發表於 S. Pierson 主編的
majority of the art and decorative art objects used in the ceremonies, interior 《Colloquies on Art & Archaeology in Asia 系列之 20：
decoration and tea drinking events of Buddhist Temples and the military class Collecting Chinese Art: Interpretation and Display》頁 10
were objects imported from China.’ (Hiroko Nishida, ‘The Collection and （倫敦，2000）。此類物品統稱「唐物」，其當年的流
th
th
Appreciation of Chinese Art Objects in 15 -16 Century Japan, and their 行程度，大可證諸鎌倉市沿岸出土的大量宋元青釉碎
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