Page 36 - Bonhams Scholars Art and Instruments Hong Kong December 2, 2021

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A PAIR OF HUANGHUALI LOBED WEIQI BOXES AND COVERS
17th century
Of squat form and lobed sides, the covers in the form of lotus leaves, the interior lacquered, the
wood of dark honey tone, each box containing white and black weiqi playing pieces.
7.5cm (3in) high. (2).
HKD250,000 - 300,000
US$32,000 - 39,000

十七世紀 黃花梨瓜棱形棋盒連棋子一對

Weiqi originated in ancient China and was one of the four accomplishments that a Chinese
scholar had to practice. There is a tangle of conflicting popular and scholarly anecdotes
attributing its invention to the two earliest emperors in China (Yao and Shun), an Imperial vassal
(Wucao) and a court astrologer in the Western Zhou Dynasty. It is generally agreed that weiqi is
at least 3000 to 4000 years old which makes it the world’s oldest strategic board game.

Compare with a related pair of huanghuali boxes and covers, late Ming Dynasty, which was
sold at Sotheby’s New York, 15th September 2015, lot 22. Compare also the form with another
pair of zitan weiqi boxes, 17th-18th century, which was sold at Christie’s Hong Kong on 16th
September 2016, lot 1213.

黃花梨為材，整料鏇製，圓鼓腹作瓜棱形，配荷葉形蓋，內髹黑漆，各盛黑白二色棋子。

圍棋發軔的傳說可以追溯到三皇五帝時期，堯、舜皆有發明圍棋相關的故事，夏代大臣烏曹也
據傳是圍棋的發明者，而西周宮廷的卜筮亦有類似的傳說。總之，圍棋作為最古老的棋類遊戲，
公認發源的時間應在三千到四千年前。圍棋對於中國文人更是不可或缺，所謂的文人四藝—琴
棋書畫—歷來是文人從小需要修習的項目，對於士族家庭，甚至女性也必須研習此道。

古人聚會遊樂之事不外乎也是琴棋書畫，曲水流觴，吟詩作對之屬。可參考一對明晚期黃花梨
棋盒，2015年9月15日售於紐約蘇富比，拍品編號22。另可比較一對十七至十八世紀紫檀瓜棱
形棋盒，材質雖不同，形狀類似，2016年9月16日售於佳士得紐約，拍品編號1213。

Please note this item is made of a type of
Dalbergia wood which is subject to CITES
export/import restrictions since 2 January
2017. This item can only be shipped to
addresses within Hong Kong or collected from
our Hong Kong saleroom and storage unless
a CITES re-export permit is granted. Please
contact the department for further information.
本拍品由黃檀屬木質製造而成，從2017年1月
2日起，所有由黃檀屬的木製品收到CITES國
際瀕危物種出入口管制。除非獲得CITES再出
口許可，此拍品只可運送至香港境內的地址或
從本公司香港倉儲提取。請與專家部門聯繫以
了解詳情。

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