Page 46 - Yuan Dynasty Ceramics

Chapter 07 (pp. 330-385)_Layout 1 7/7/10 5:42 PM Page 375

The Wenzong emperor visited the Star of Literature (907–1125) of northern China. The Mongols shared a
Pavilion (Kuizhang Ge) daily, often accompanied by Yu Ji love of hunting with the Liao, and stocked preserves near
and Ke Juisi. The emperor frequently had Yu Ji, noted for the palace with exotic animals; extant textiles and impe-
his literary skills and calligraphy, inscribe paintings by Ke rial tomb murals (at Qingling, Inner Mongolia, ca. 1031
Jiusi, who was renowned for his connoisseurship, callig- or 1055) depict the spring hunt of the Qidan (Khitan)
raphy, and painting, particularly his paintings of bamboo. emperor and show waterfowl in a river. 208 A Yuan gar-
The Wenzong emperor was himself an accomplished cal- ment unearthed in 1976 at Tuchengzi village in Inner
ligrapher. The Record of the Star of Literature Pavilion, which Mongolia adds further support of this link: cranes among
the emperor himself “took up the brush” to write, was lotus on the shoulders of the garment as well as mandarin
carved in stone, from which rubbings were made to be- ducks and butterflies on the chest correspond to designs
stow on favored ministers. Indeed, Wenzong’s calli- on underglaze blue painted porcelain (Figs. 7.50a and b;
graphic activity would have required the type of oversize see also Fig. 7.48). 209 A contemporary Korean text gives a
inkstones excavated at Zhushan (see Fig. 7.16). Shundi, detailed description: “Taking the shapes of lotus blos-
the other sinicized Mongol emperor with impressive cal- soms, lotus leaves, a pair of mandarin ducks, bees and
ligraphy credentials, might be considered a possible com- butterflies, in some cases, one uses floss of ‘five colors’ to
missioner of such inkstones had they not been embroider [them] and, in some cases, one uses variegated
intermixed with weiqi jars, as discussed earlier. colors to paint them on the satin and silk. One calls it a
The Wenzong emperor’s signature motif, reserved for pond full of beauty.” 210 This reference to painting on silk
his exclusive use from 1328 to 1332, was water birds, with variegated colors translates almost literally to the
which were typically mandarin ducks in a pond. His application of various gradations of cobalt oxide on
wardrobe was embroidered with this motif, which can be porcelain.
observed in paintings of the Mongol elite, and it became Since the motif of mandarin ducks was apparently the
the most popular motif depicted on Yuan blue and white singular artistic property of the Wenzong emperor during
ware. Although various images of mandarin ducks had his reign, porcelain wares of imperial quality bearing it are
enjoyed a long history in China prior to this time, the thought to date no earlier than his ascension to the
scholar Liu Xinyuan, who directed excavations at throne in 1328. In 1340 when the Shundi emperor as-
Zhushan, believes that blue and white porcelain depic- sumed full power, however, restrictions on the use of this
tions were first produced during this period. 205 During motif probably ceased, leading to private kilns’ making a
the Tianli period (1328–1329) this motif was known as a flood of such wares, many for export. 211 In fact, this is
“pond full of beauty” (manchi jiao), as in this poem by the the central motif used most frequently on Chinese four-
famous painter Ke Jiusu (K’o Chiu-ssu, 1290–1343), teenth-century blue and white porcelain, and has been
grand scholar of the Star of Literature Pavilion: found widely dispersed not only in China, but also in
Mongolia, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, and Egypt.
Looking at lotus [blossoms] on Taiyi [pond], Late in 1351 the volume of porcelain with the mandarin
[we] float [our] orchid oars, duck motif is believed to have increased even more after
And [watching] kingfishers and mandarin ducks the Red Turban Army, composed of Chinese rebels
[as they] play in the green reeds, against Mongol rule (one of whom—Zhu Yuanzhang—
I tell my little daughter to remember was to found the Ming dynasty), occupied the Fuliang re-
That imperial dress is embroidered gion and the imperial kiln closed. At that point the author
with “a pond full of beauty.” 206 contends that any former Yuan imperial design could be
used without restriction, as indicated by the four-claw
The Yuan depiction of water birds continues a long princely dragon motif on the Percival David Foundation
tradition of cross-cultural exchange in which artisans in vases with an inscription noting that the pair was a gift
China were inspired by motifs of foreign origin. While from a Chinese family to a temple near Jingdezhen in
water birds appear on Neolithic Liangzhu culture jades 1351 (see Figs. 7.49a and b). At the Hutian kiln, Yuan
and Shang dynasty bronzes, Tang uses of this motif were blue and white shards with painted designs of complex
inspired by Sogdian art of the eighth century, which can interlocking flowers, rectangular spiral (hui wen) patterns,
be linked with the art of Sasanian Iran. 207 Perhaps the wild geese, dragons, phoenix, and figural scenes have
closest precursor to the Yuan motif is found in the art of been found mainly on the southern bank of the Nan
another group of nomadic tribesmen, the Liao River and in a section known as Liujiawu. 212 In general,

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