Page 53 - Chinese Decorative Arts: The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, v. 55, no. 1 (Summer, 1997)

Hanshan and shide through Burma (Myanmar), and the plentiful
I'
amber mines in Hukuang Valley were also a
7th-18th
Qing dynasty, century source. This sculpture and other later Chinese
Amber works were made of the red-toned amber (bur-
H. 31/2 in. (8.9 cm) mite) imported from Burma along with the
1950
Bequest of Mary Stilman Harkness, much-coveted jadeite during the late seven-
50.145.152 teenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries.
Images of a pair of somewhat disheveled
mber has been known in China since at monks laughing uproariously are a prominent
least the third century. The true nature theme in Chinese and Japanese paintings from
of this material, which is sometimes ascribed as early as the twelfth century up to the pres-
magical properties in Chinese writings, was ent day. The figures represent Hanshan and
well understood by the Tang dynasty, when Shide, two of the most popular eccentrics of
pharmacopoeia and literary works described Chan Buddhist iconography, who became
its formation over centuries and noted the pres- common subjects in East Asian culture. There
ence of embedded insects. Amber seems to have is still much controversy regarding their biogra-
been widely available in Tang China and is phies: the only record is a preface to a well-
frequently mentioned in poetry of the period. It known book of 300 verses, The Collected
was used for jewelry and for other decorative Poems Hanshan. According to this volume,
of
items and as inlay. Examples of Tang-period Hanshan (Cold Mountain) was a hermit, who
Cup
Si
amber are preserved today in the Shosoin at lived near the Guoqing monastery on
wood
chenxiang Nara, Japan. With the exception of the ambers Mount Tiantai in Zhejiang Province some-
Ming dynasty, 16th-17th century at the Shosoin, few are known thac can be dated time between the sixth and ninth centuries.
H. 2 5/8 in. (6.7 cm) between the ninth and eighteenth centuries. Tiantai, a major Buddhist center, was also
Gift of Alan and simone Hartman, 1981 China's far-reaching contacts during the home to several hermits and other seekers of
1981.81.2 Tang dynasty probably contributed to the knowledge. Hanshan became friends with
abundant supply of amber at the time. Chinese Fenggan, a monk from the monastery, and his
lthough this cup is carved in chenxiang documents indicate that it was brought from protege Shide (Foundling), who worked in
a tropical hardwood, its shape-and i ts Iran and may have included the legendary the kitchen. Shide frequently provided scraps
irregular rim in particular-suggests strong ly amber from the Baltic Sea area, carried with and other necessities for Hanshan, which may
that the maker had a rhinoceros-horn cup in other goods along the overland trade roads explain why he is shown in this sculpture
y
mind. A continuous landscape, surprisinglN known as the Silk Roads. Other routes led holding a bowl. DPL
complex for a vessel of this size, is carved or n
its exterior. On one side two scholars stop on
a natural terrace to gaze into the distance.
Selected sections of the scene were depicted
in close-up detail, such as the bamboo grov re
on the scholars' right and a willow tree tha t
appears quite unexpectedly from behind ar
outcrop of rock. The carver has thoughtfull y
n
created "breathing space" in the compositiol
by simplifying the faces of the figures and tl ie
many rock surfaces. This alternation of den ise
details with simple shapes and plain surfaces
adds subtlety to the design and leaves room
to
for one's imagination play. w, AS

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