Page 164 - Liesurely Life Fine Objects Christies Hong Kong May 2018

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A MOULDED DING ‘CHILONG’ FOLIATE-RIM 北宋／金 定窯印螭龍牡丹紋花口盤
DISH
NORTHERN SONG-JIN DYNASTY, 12TH CENTURY 來源
The dish is finely potted of shallow rounded form, rising gently 壺中居，東京，1980年代
from the short neatly cut footring to the hexa-lobed rim. The 香港佳士得，2008年5月27日，拍品1836號（其中之一）
interior is crisply moulded in relief with a chilong in the central 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
medallion amid cloud scroll enclosed by a delicatedly executed 年）的著錄記載，形象大多為活潑生動的幼龍。螭與成年之龍系出同源，
peony scroll and a band of key-fret below the metal bound rim. It 而且均寓意祥瑞，既象徵尊榮顯貴，亦含名成利就之祝願。再者，根據
is covered overall with a clear ivory-toned glaze. 呂不韋 ( 公元前 290 至 235 年 ) 約於公元前 239 年著成的《呂氏春秋》
7 æ in. (18.7 cm.) diam., Japanese wood box 所記，相傳孔子 ( 公元前 551–479 年 ) 曾比較龍、螭及魚，繼而以螭自
HK$1,500,000-2,500,000 US$200,000-320,000 況：「孔子曰：『龍食乎清而游乎清，螭食乎清而游乎濁，魚食乎濁而
游乎濁。今丘上不及龍，下不若魚，丘其螭邪。』」文中將螭與孔子相
PROVENANCE 提並論，既確立了螭在中國神話的崇高地位，亦彰顯了它在各式裝飾藝
Kochukyo Co. Ltd., Tokyo, acquired in 1980s 術題材中的神聖意義。
Sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 27 May 2008, lot 1836 (one of two)
國立故宮博物院藏有一件定窯印花花口盌，其紋飾與本件盤如出一轍，
An ancient mythological creature that appears in Chinese literature at 著錄於蔡玫芬著 2014 年臺北出版《定州花瓷 - 院藏定窯系白瓷特展》，
least as early as the Warring States period (481–221 BC.), chilong is
characteristically presented as a young, playful creature. Like its close 頁 164，編號 II-106。亦可比國立故宮博物院所藏一件定窯刻花花口盤，
relative, the mature long dragon, the chilong is an auspicious emblem 其盤內亦飾螭龍牡丹紋，載於同上，頁 117，編號 II-70。
that denotes high status and conveys to the viewer every good wish for
success and prosperity. Moreover, the Lüshi Chunqiu—a text written
around 239 B.C. by Lü Buwei (290–235 B.C.) and whose title can be
translated as Master Lü’s Spring and Autumn [Annals]—attributes to
Confucius (551 B.C. – 479 B.C.) a quote in which he compares long
‘dragons’, chi ‘hornless dragons’, and yu ‘fish’ and then likens himself to
a hornless dragon: “Master Kong [i.e., Confucius] said, ‘The dragon eats
and swims in clear water; the hornless dragon eats in clean water but
swims in muddy water; fish 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 fish; perhaps I am a hornless dragon!’” This association of Confucius
with the chilong assured that creature an elevated status in Chinese
mythology as well as an honored place in the repertory of decorative-
arts motifs.
A moulded Ding foliate-rim bowl with a very similar chilong and peony
scroll decoration in the National Palace Museum, is illustrated by Tsai
Meifen, Decorated Porcelains of Dingzhou: White Ding Wares from
the Collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei, 2014, p. 164, no.
II-106. Compare also a carved Ding foliate-rim dish with similar design
on the interior illustrated in ibid, p. 117, no. II-70.

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