Page 14 - Bonhams Scholars Art and Instruments Hong Kong December 2, 2021

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A VERY RARE LIGHT-BROWN AND GREEN GLAZED ‘DRINKING GAME’ TABLEAU
Late Western-early Eastern Han Dynasty, Lingbao region, Henan province
Exquisitely moulded with five kneeling figures on a square tableau raising from four scalloped
feet, gesticulating in animated discussion and surrounding a game board incised with grids
in the centre, the figure glazed in light brown and the sides of the platform covered with
lean green glaze.
21cm (8 1/4in) long x 21cm (8 1/4in) wide x 19cm (7 1/2in) high

HKD300,000 - 500,000
US$39,000 - 64,000
西漢晚期至東漢早期 褐綠釉六博俑

Illustrated and Published:
R.D. Jacobsen, Celestial Horses & Long Sleeved Dancers, Minneapolis, 2013, p.99
出版及著錄:
R.D. Jacobsen著，《Celestial Horses & Long Sleeved Dancers》，
明尼阿波利斯美術館，2013年，頁99
Exhibited:
Minneapolis Institute of Arts, 2007-2021 (loan number: L2007.158.2)

展覽:
明尼阿波利斯美術館， 2007年至2021年 (借展編號： L2007.158.2)

The result of Oxford Authentication Ltd. thermoluminescence test no.C107y68 on 27 July
2007, is consistent with the dating of this lot.
牛津鑒定公司熱釋光檢測結果（2007年7月27日編號C107y68）顯示年代與本拍品年代一致。

Drinking games were probably descended from ancient ceremonial rituals and become popular
by the Warring States period, participated in by the aristocracy and scholar-officials only. Unlike
in the Warring States period when scholars or hanger-on visitors were gathered by noblemen
in pursuit of political achievement, scholar’s gatherings in the Han Dynasty usually were formed
for literary purposes. In such events, drinking can include a game that requires participants to
recite classical poetry, to complete couplets or to win board games such as liubo or weiqi.

Unlike the figures depicted in Lot 85, those seen in the present lot can be recognised as
being of higher social class by their clothing. Compare with the figures on an ink rubbing of
a tombstone dated to the Eastern Han Dynasty, figures wear similar clothes and hats to that
on this lot, see Zhongguo huaxiangshi quanji (Complete Collection of Chinese Stone-Reliefs),
Jinan, 2000, vol.2 p.45. Similar scenes can be found on other tombstones dated to the Han
Dynasty, compare with an ink rubbing of a tombstone in Sichuan, Eastern Han Dynasty, which
is illustrated in ibid, vol.7, p.209.

陶製，下塑四方臺，臺壺門，臺面黏燒五人圍一棋盤而座，各人前俯後仰，觥籌交錯，容貌刻畫簡
略而盡出快活神采，五人頭戴介幘，一人手持羽觴，其他四人猜拳貌，身著交領長袍，台上皆罩
淡褐色釉，棋盤及座臺四周施綠釉。

五人衣冠來看應數上層人士，所玩遊戲似為六博，勝負決定之後皆需飲酒。六博發軔於春秋，流
行至戰國兩漢。玩時兩人相博，每人六枚棋子，故又稱陸博。勝負關鍵在於擲采，定於偶然，雙方
按照各自擲出的齒采走棋。六博為先秦兩漢時期極為流行的遊戲，士大夫與庶人皆好之。可參
考四川新津石墓畫像石中的博弈場面，見《中國畫像石全集》，濟南，2000年，卷7，頁208-209。

12 | BONHAMS