Page 35 - Importan Chinese Art Christie's May 2018

A RARE ‘DOUBLE-VAJRA’ DISH

ROSEMARY SCOTT, SENIOR INTERNATIONAL ACADEMIC CONSULTANT

Although unmarked, it is most probable that this dish dynasty. As early as 1207 Ghengis Khan sent envoys to
with its unctuous glaze, fne body and soft, well-painted Tibet, and a system developed so that Tibet accepted
cobalt blue decoration dates to the Chenghua reign. A Mongol protection and suzerainty while providing the
somewhat simpler double-vajra and ribbon design can Mongols with spiritual guidance. In 1239, however, a
be seen on the interior of a blue and white dish, in the Mongol army under Koden, second son of Ogodai Khan
collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, which, like the attacked Tibet, and the Tibetans decided to negotiate.
current dish, is unmarked (illustrated in Blue and White The result was that Tibet submitted to the Mongols and
Porcelain with Underglaze Red (II), The Complete Collection the latter appointed the abbot of the Sa-skya monastery
of Treasures of the Palace Museum, vol. 35, Hong Kong, to exercise political authority over the whole of Tibet. The
2000, p. 9, no. 7). However, while the exterior of the magic of Tantric Buddhism appealed to the Mongols and
current vessel is decorated with elegantly scrolling lotus, when they were initiated into the practices of Lamaism
the Beijing dish has four kui dragons. A dish with double they began to adopt that type of Buddhism to take the
vajra on the interior, which is similar to the Beijing dish, place of their own Shamanism. When he took over the
was excavated at the Ming imperial kilns from the late great Khanate in 1260, Khublai Khan made Lamaism the
Chenghua stratum and is illustrated in The Emperor’s national religion of the Mongols.
broken china – Reconstructing Chenghua porcelain, London,
After the Mongols established the Yuan dynasty in China
1995, p. 77, no. 102. Additionally, the futtering ribbons
in 1279, Lamaism fourished, receiving huge grants of
that form part of the design on the current dish, bear a
land from the ruling house and the nobility. In 1291 some
close resemblance to those on a dish decorated with lions
42,318 temples are recorded and 213,418 monks and nuns.
playing with brocaded balls, which was excavated from
The lamas enjoyed a very special position of privilege
the late Chenghua stratum at the Ming imperial kilns –
and protection. It is not surprising, therefore, to fnd the
illustrated in A Legacy of Chenghua: Imperial Porcelain of
infuence of Lamaism on the arts of China during the
the Chenghua Reign Excavated from Zhushan, Jingdezhen,
Yuan dynasty. This included the translation of the Tibetan
Hong Kong, 1993, pp. 226-7, no. C69.
Tripitaka not only into Mongolian (in Wuzong’s reign
The double vajra motif appears to have entered the 1308-11), but also into Chinese - and indeed into Tangut
Chinese repertoire of porcelain designs with the increased for the Xi Xia region, and examples of Tibetan Buddhist
popularity of Lamaism – Tibetan Buddhism - in the Yuan iconography appeared on objects in a variety of media
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