Page 24 - Song Ceramics Lunyushanren Collection March 2018 NYC

Created at the Ding kilns in Hebei province, this exquisite brush washer 此洗清淡高雅，乃公元十一世紀末至十二世紀初最受宮廷推崇的河北定窰
represents the type of ceramic ware most preferred at the Imperial Court 瓷器。雖然洗壁斜直、內外光素，但坦平內底飾一尾寓意吉祥的螭龍 (又
in the late eleventh and early twelfth century. Although its steeply canted 名無角龍)。
side walls are undecorated inside and out, an auspicious chilong 螭龍, or
hornless dragon, embellishes the vessel’s wide foor. 螭是一種古老的神獸，其歷史至少可上溯至戰國時期 (公元前481-221年)
的著錄記載，形象大多為活潑生動的幼龍。顧名思義，「無角」曰螭，因
An ancient mythological creature that appears in Chinese literature at
least as early as the Warring States period (481–221 B.C.), the chilong 無角之故，多被視為「未成年」之龍或幼龍，所以英文常直譯為「小龍」
is characteristically presented as a young, playful creature. Technically 或「初生之龍」。單獨出現的螭大多回顧身後及尾部，構圖呈C形，本拍
meaning “hornless dragon”, the term chilong is usually translated as 品即為一例。有些作品的螭龍身畔尚有一螭或雙螭，間或伴一成年之龍，
“young dragon” or “baby dragon”, its lack of a horn generally accepted 人們常視之為母龍；若以「母子」形象出現，幼螭常在母龍身旁嬉戲追
as meaning “immature” and thus young. When shown singly, as in this 逐，或在其背上歡蹦亂跳。
brush washer, it characteristically turns its head to look over its back
and toward its tail, thus assuming a C-shape. In other instances, the 螭與成年之龍系出同源，而且均寓意祥瑞，既象徵尊榮顯貴，亦含名成利
chilong may be depicted together with one or two additional chilong, and 就之祝願。再者，根據呂不韋 (公元前290至235年) 約於公元前239年著
occasionally in the company of a mature dragon, or long 龍, the mature
成的《呂氏春秋》所記，相傳孔子 (公元前551–479年) 曾比較龍、螭及
dragon typically identifed as the mother; in such “family presentations”,
魚，繼而以螭自況：「孔子曰：『龍食乎清而游乎清，螭食乎清而游乎
the several chilong generally frolic around their mother, playing with each
濁，魚食乎濁而游乎濁。今丘上不及龍，下不若魚，丘其螭邪。』」文中
other and even scampering over their mother’s back.
將螭與孔子相提並論，既確立了螭在中國神話的崇高地位，亦彰顯了它在
Like its close relative, the mature long dragon, the chilong is an auspicious
各式裝飾藝術題材中的神聖意義。
emblem that denotes high status and conveys to the viewer every good
wish for success and prosperity. Moreover, the Lüshi Chunqiu 呂氏春 以螭龍為飾的定窯器物，或如本拍品般僅飾一螭，或如上所述襯以別的螭
秋—a text written around 239 B.C. by Lü Buwei 呂不韋 (290–235
龍。僅飾一螭者，其背景有的像此洗般光素無紋，有的則襯以朵朵祥雲或
B.C.) and whose title can be translated as Master Lü’s Spring and Autumn
纏枝蓮紋。
[Annals]—attributes to Confucius (551 B.C. – 479 B.C.) a quote in
which he compares long 龍 “dragons”, chi 螭 “hornless dragons”, and 國立故宮博物院藏有一件定窯劃花碟，器形、紋飾皆與本件洗如出一轍，
yu 魚 “fsh” and then likens himself to a hornless dragon 螭: “Master
惟其螭龍之刻劃稍顯草率，著錄於蔡玫芬著《定州花瓷-院藏定窯系白
Kong [i.e., Confucius] said, ‘The dragon eats and swims in clear water;
瓷特展》編號II-58（台北，2014年）。與此洗螭龍紋風格一致者還有
the hornless dragon eats in clean water but swims in muddy water; fsh
一例北宋定窯瓷盌內底的紋飾，圖見Jan Wirgin所著《Sung Ceramic
eat and swim in muddy water. Now, I have not ascended to the level of a
dragon, but nor have I descended to that of fsh; perhaps I am a hornless Designs》(倫敦：寒山堂，1979)，原圖發表於《The Museum of Far
dragon!’” (Quotation adapted from John Knoblock and Jeffrey K. Riegel, Eastern Antiquities Bulletin》刊號42圖版70b (斯德哥爾摩：1970)。紐
The Annals of Lü Buwei, Stanford, California: Stanford University Press, 約佳士得曾於2014年9月18至19日拍出一例定窯盤 (拍品編號732)，盤上
2000, p. 505.) This association of Confucius with the chilong assured that 所刻螭紋與本拍品類似，惟其四周飾纏枝蓮紋。另有一件洗壁斜直的近似
creature an elevated status in Chinese mythology as well as an honored
例，其盤心刻祥雲螭紋，圖見國立故宮博物院編撰的中英雙語《故宮宋瓷
place in the repertory of decorative-arts motifs.
圖錄：定窯‧定窯型》圖版60 (東京：學習研究室，1973)。同類器形飾
Ding vessels with chilong décor may depict the creature singly, as in this 雙螭者參見前述蔡玫芬著作編號II-59。
brush washer, or paired with other chilong, as noted above. A single chilong
may appear against an unembellished background, as witnessed here, or it
might be surrounded by scrolling clouds or a lotus arabesque.

The present brush washer as illustrated in the Currier Gallery of Art, Chinese Ceramics of the Sung Dynasty, Manchester, New Hampshire, 1959, no. 11.
本件定窯洗在1959年The Currier Gallery of Art，《Chinese Ceramics of the Sung Dynasty》中的著錄。
The Classic Age of Chinese Ceramics 古韻天成 — 臨宇山人珍藏（三） 22