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Image courtesy of the Palace Museum, Beijing Image courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
北京故宮博物院 紐約大都會博物館

Vases of this form are known as ‘champion vases’, which refers to 杯作雙聯式，斜直壁，高足。口、足雕迴紋，外壁雕夔龍紋，外壁雕
the vessel’s twin-tubular compartments connected by an eagle (ying)
and a bear (xiong), together forming the pun yingxiong ‘champion’ or 一鷹一熊，鷹獸面有耳，雙翅伸展，尾羽捲曲於杯後，鷹爪下有一
‘hero’, which means to invoke conjugal happiness. 熊，身體跨兩杯前後。鷹熊取諧音「英雄」，又稱為合卺杯，為古代

成婚的一種形式，取其二杯相連，永不分離之意。

In form, the vase was inspired by earlier bronzes, such as the Tang 此合卺杯紋飾仿漢代青銅彝器，造型特異，古色古香，類似造型在
dynasty ‘champion’ vase depicted in the Xiqing Gujian, 1751, 《西清古鑑》上亦有出現，見M.Wilson，《Chinese Jades》，倫
illustrated by M.Wilson, Chinese Jades, London, 2004, p.106, pl.107, 敦，2004年，頁106，圖107。
which itself draws on Western Han dynasty examples. Similarly, in
design the use of the kui dragons harks back to those decorating late 以犀角雕刻之合卺杯傳世不多，見北京故宮博物院藏明晚期一例，著
Shang dynasty archaic bronze ritual vessels; the representation of 錄於《故宮博物院珍藏文物珍品全集：竹木牙角雕刻》，香港，2002
antiquity was meant to advocate associated qualities of the ancient 年，頁149-150，圖132；另見紐約大都會博物館藏十八世紀一例（博
culture such as sincerity, simplicity and happy exuberance. 物館編號2015.500.6.15）；另見黃蕙英女士及上海博物館藏兩例，
著錄於霍滿堂，《中國犀角雕刻珍賞》，香港，1999年，頁90-91，
This form is particularly rare in rhinoceros horn; however, related 圖43及44，後者杯底刻陽文「晉府寶藏」及「天成恭製」篆書款。
rhinoceros horn ‘champion’ vases can be found in important 另見荷蘭國立民族學博物館藏一例，見J.Chapman，《The Art of
museum and private collections: see a late Ming dynasty example Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China》，倫敦，1999年，頁101，
of faceted form, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures 圖88。
of the Palace Museum: Bamboo, Wood, Ivory, and Rhinoceros Horn
Carving, Hong Kong, 2002, pp.149-150, pl.132; another ‘champion’ 此式合卺杯於十七至十八世紀亦用其他材質製作，見十八世紀銅胎掐
vase, 18th century, in the Florence and Herbert Irving collection, 絲琺瑯一例，後由香港邦瀚斯售出，2015年12月3日，拍品15；台北
the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, acc.no.2015.500.6.15; 故宮博物院藏玉雕合卺杯一例，見《宮廷之雅：清代仿古及畫意玉器
two further examples, 18th century, in the collection of Dora Wong 特展圖錄》，台北，1997年，圖17。
and the Shanghai Museum, respectively, are illustrated by T.Fok,
Connoisseurship of Rhinoceros Horn Carving in China, Hong Kong,
1999, pp.90-91, nos.43 and 44 (with Jin Fu Baochang and Tiancheng
gongzhi marks); and another ‘champion’ vase, in the Museum voor
Volkenkunde, Rotterdam, see J.Chapman, The Art of Rhinoceros Horn
Carving in China, London, 1999, p.101, pl.88.

Champion vases were popular during the 17th and 18th centuries and
were produced in other materials including jade, bronze, cloisonné
enamel and porcelain. See a rare gilt-bronze and cloisonné enamel
‘champion’ vase and cover, 18th century, which was sold in these
rooms, 3 December 2015, lot 15; a jade example, Qianlong, in the
National Palace Museum, Taipei, is illustrated in The Refined Taste of
the Emperor: Special Exhibition of Archaic and Pictorial Jades of the
Ch’ing Court, Taipei, 1997, pl.17.

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