Page 223 - Sothebys Speelman Gems of Chinese Art

Winged dragons are known as ‘yinglong’ and they have been 盒蒸餅式，通體在黄漆素地上雕朱漆。蓋心雕蓮花盛開，兩
highly extolled and praised in ancient texts such as Hanshu 側遊龍矯健，口銜花枝，雙目圓睜，毛髮後披，四肢粗壯有
[Book of Han] compiled by the Eastern Han dynasty historian 力，遊弋於捲草之中。盒外壁雕一對應龍，於捲草中追逐，
Ban Gu (32-92) as well as Wuzhi [Book of Wu] in the Records 張牙舞爪，滿深鱗片，羽翼豎起，卷草尾，氣勢威猛。蓋、
of the Three Kingdoms. The former, in particular, eulogises
盒內及底部髹黑漆。
the yinglong and explicates its mighty power and prestige. The
winged dragons on the exterior of the current box are similar
有翼的龍為「應龍」，俗稱「翼龍」。東漢史學家班固著《
to those depicted on the jars excavated in the imperial kiln
漢書．敘傳第七十》曰：「應龍潛於潢汙，魚黿媟之，不睹
site of Zhushan, included in the exhibition Xuande Imperial
其能奮靈德，合風雲，超忽荒，而躆昊蒼也。故夫泥蟠而天
Porcelain Excavated at Jingdezhen, Chang Foundation, Taipei,
飛者，應龍之神也；先賤而後貴者，和、隨之珍也；時暗而
1998, cat. no. 4.
久章者，君子之真也。」；《吳志．吾粲傳》提到：「夫應
The Xuande period was one that marked a stylistic and
龍以屈伸為神，鳳皇以嘉鳴為貴。」此盤壁上之應龍與1982
technical evolution for lacquer production in the Ming
年景德鎮珠山出土宣德青花應龍紋大缸如出一轍，見《景德
dynasty. The present box and cover, with its structured
鎮出土明宣德官窰瓷器》，鴻禧美術館，台北，1998年，圖
form and design, accentuated with a lush depiction of
版4。
undulating leafy floral scrolls and a harmonious composition
of dragons, demonstrates the precise attention to detail and
宜德朝為明代雕漆風格及技法處於變化的一個時期，此盤造
meticulous execution of the imperial lacquer workshop in the
型規整，花草枝葉翻卷自如，生動自然；紋飾獨特，蓋面的
Guoyuanchang (Orchard Workshop).
遊龍與盒壁的應龍相互暉映，趣味盎然，乃果園廠巧匠精心
According to the Ming taizu shilu [Veritable records of the
之作。
reign of Ming Taizu], an imperial edict issued in the third
year of the Hongwu reign outlined that the employment of
據《明太祖實錄》記載，洪武三年「詔中書省，申禁官民器
the colour yellow and various motifs, including dragon and
服不得用黃色為飾，及彩畫古先帝王、后妃、聖賢人物故
phoenix, was strictly limited to imperial use. It was further
事、日、月、龍、鳳、獅子、麒麟、犀、象之形，如舊有
decreed that previous representations were to be destroyed.
The choice of composition on the current box and cover 者，限百日內毀之」。可見本品乃皇家御用之器。
indicates that it was commissioned for imperial use.

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