Page 24 - Bonhams Hong Kong The Skinner Moon Flasks

fig.6 First Historic Archives of China, Art Museum of the Chinese University of Hong
Kong, Archives of the Qing Imperial Household Department, 2005, p.798, scroll 7.

In discussing the actual function of these moonflasks, we adonis and catharanthus blossoms to accompany the blue
must notice the ‘Bajixiang’ motif. ‘Bajixiang’ originates and white moonflask, Head Eunuch Samuha is to carry
from Tibetan Buddhist teachings, and the motif was first over, pass to Eunuch Liu Xiwen, end. By fifth day of the
painted on ceramics as early as the Yuan dynasty. In the seventh month, sixth year, prepare a bouquet of adonis and
context of Qing dynasty porcelains, the ‘Bajixiang’ motif is catharanthus blossoms to accompany the blue and white
often depicted paired with lotus designs which suggests moonflask, Head Eunuch Samuha is to carry over, pass to
a reference to religious imagery. The Imperial Court of Eunuch Liu Xiwen, end.’10
the Qing dynasty practiced the Buddhist faith; hence it is
assumed that these moonflasks were placed in one of the Hence it is correct to assume that these moonflasks
many Buddhist temples in the Forbidden City or in other functioned as flower-holders in the interior of the various
Imperial Palaces. Halls and Palaces.

Also, according to huo ji dang, hua er zuo (Imperial Palace In conclusion: according to the Imperial archives, the blue
Workshops Archives of the Flower Department), dated to the and white ‘Bajixiang’ moonflasks with Qianlong seal marks
Yongzheng fifth year (1727): ‘On the twenty-fifth day of the and of the period, now housed in the Qing Court collection
ninth month, Head Eunuch Dong Zigui presented two blue at the Palace Museum, were produced by Imperial decree
and white moonflasks with handles… Eunuchs Liu Xiwen of the emperor during the early Qianlong period. These
and Wang Taiping delivered the Imperial order: Arrange moonflasks successfully highlight both the emperor’s
appropriate flowers for the moonflasks,… By eleventh day personal taste, and his appreciation of the aesthetic and
of the fifth month, sixth year (1728), prepare a bouquet of technical brilliance represented by Imperial porcelain.

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