Page 50 - 2019 September 13th Christie's New York Important Chinese Works of Art

Jade fttings are virtually unknown, except in textual records, for example, from
even before the Tang dynasty that noted that “jade carriages are the best.”
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Sumptuary regulations in the Old Tang History (compiled 941-945), provides
detailed descriptions of imperial carriages distinguished by fttings made from
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fve diferent materials :
“The emperor’s carriages are ftted with jade, gold, ivory(?), leather, and
wood……
Jade carriage uses pale green jade as terminal ornaments. [It has] two
compartments, with green dragon on the left and white tiger on the
right, and golden phoenix in the rear … [and is] used for ritual worship
Fig. 5 A sancai-glazed pottery dragon head from the Hauqingchi hot
spring resort, Lintong, Tang dynasty (AD 618-907). Image courtesy of and empress’s coronations;
Zhejiang People’s Fine Arts Publishing House. Photographer unknown.
Gold carriage uses red gold as terminal ornaments, is otherwise
圖五 唐 三彩龍首 發現於華清池遺址
identical to jade carriages. [It is] drawn by red horses and used for
returning from feasts, hunts, ritual worship and attending festivities;
Ivory carriage uses yellow ivory as terminal ornaments …… [It is]
drawn by yellow horses and used for Daoist (?) rituals;
Leather carriage uses leather reins …… [It is] drawn by white horses
and used for military inspections and expeditions;
Wood carriage is lacquered black …… [It is] drawn by black horses and
used for hunting expeditions.”
In the opening lines of his poem Qujiang, the 9th-century poet Li Shangyin
(812-858) laments the passing of Tang’s heyday by invoking the colorful
imperial visits to Qujiang Park:
“Gone from view are the imperial carriages with green ornaments from
Fig. 6 A greenish jade dragon-head fnial, Yuan dynasty (1279-1368). days of yore;
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.:
Gift of Arthur M. Sackler, S1987.819. Only the melancholy songs of midnight ghosts remain.
圖六 元 青玉龍首 華盛頓特區賽克勒藝術館藏 His golden carriages no longer return with beautiful concubines from
the city;
Only the water ripples against the elegant palaces…….”

The focus on the fve colors (green, red, yellow, white, and black) reveals the
materials’ close associations with the wuxing theory where the colors are
associated with the cardinal points, with green signifying the dragon of the
east, the symbol of the emperor.

唐代詩人李商隱 (公元812至858年) 有《曲江》一詩，開篇即遙想皇帝赴
曲江離宮遊玩之樂，繼而慨嘆盛世風光不再：

望斷平時翠輦過，
空聞子夜鬼悲歌。
金輿不返傾城色，
玉殿猶分下苑波。

蔣氏玉龍首用料奢華，形體碩大，並以象徵皇權的青龍為題材，體現了至
為尊貴的宮廷級別。觀乎出土的玉雕件與陶器，並輔以古文獻與圖像記
錄，蔣氏玉龍首應是公元八世紀盛唐之作。中國歷史上下數千年，而傳世
的唐代玉雕寥寥可數，一般多見小巧的浮雕和個人佩飾，如帶扣、手鐲、
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髮飾和玉佩等。 鮮有像蔣氏玉龍首這樣的渾然圓雕，且大小無一能及。
無論是用作室內家居配件，或是輿輦端飾，可以肯定的是，蔣氏玉龍首乃
難得一見之珍品，其主人的尊貴身份必為帝王級無疑。

Fig. 7 A lacquered-wood folding armchair with gilt dragon-head
terminals, Qing dynasty (1644-1911). The Palace Museum Collection,
Beijing. The Palace Museum/ Image © The Palace Museum,
Photographer Liu Zhigang
圖七 清 金漆雕龍紋交椅 北京故宮博物院 圖片提供：北京故宮博物院
劉志崗攝
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