Page 231 - Chinese Art Auction April 25, 2020 2020 Galerie Zacke

277 The “boat songs of Wuyi” were written by Zhu Xi in 1184 and
thereafter enjoyed great popularity. The verse on the present bowl is the
A RARe yulINTINg bOWl, eighth of nine songs. The complete poem consists of an introduction and
WITh A VeRse FROM ‘bOAT sONgs OF WuyI’ nine verses or songs, each related to one of the nine bends of the Jiuqu
by Zhu XI (1130-1200) stream. They can be found in Song Shichao (collection of Song poems),
the dedication reads: “Ten Boat Songs of Wuyi written as a leisure-time
China, Southern Song Dynasty, ca. 1184-1200. The conical bowl pleasure in the studio, to be presented to my traveling companions for their
shows a finely crackled brown-black glaze, stopping in wavy lines mutual enjoyment.” Zhu Xi lived for many years near Mount Wuyi, where
with two distinct drops well above the broad foot, thus revealing the he founded a school and devoted himself to teaching and writing. When
earthenware below. The interior is painted in overglaze gold or silver at leisure, he enjoyed boating on the Jiuqu stream, and he wrote his “Boat
with the eighth verse from a poem by Zhu Xi (1130-1200) about the Songs of Wuyi” in imitation of the local boating songs he would hear during
nine bends of the Jiuquxi river in the Wuyi Mountains, Fujian Province. this pursuit.
The calligraphy is surrounded by bamboo groves. Most typical of
yulinting bowls, a distinct ridge runs around the body between the The rarity of this bowl is documented by K. y. Ng in an article published
lower extent of the glaze and the foot on the outer wall. in Kaikodo Journal No. 24 in 2008, updated in 2016. In 2008, Ng writes that
black-glazed tea bowls in Jian style with gold or silver painted landscapes
Provenance: Edward Pranger Oriental Art, Amsterdam. Dr. Koos de and poetic inscriptions were a significant invention of the yulingting kilns,
Jong, acquired from the above in 2007 at PAN Amsterdam (invoice and extant pieces are “extremely rare”. Only a handful have been found in
not available). Founded in 1995, Edward Pranger Oriental Art has Japan. The piece in the Aso collection is termed a densei-hin or handed-
established a global reputation for quality in the field of Asian art. Mr. down piece, not recently excavated but rather treasured for hundreds of
Edward Pranger studied Chinese languages and culture at Leiden years since its arrival from the continent, most likely during the 13th or 14th
University, Netherlands, and Chinese Art History at the National Taiwan century in the luggage of some monk returning home. Another example in
University. Dr. de Jong is a Dutch art historian and has been privately Japan is in the Ogura collection. In 2016, Ng added that after the discovery
collecting Chinese art over decades. of the bowl with the verse introducing the ten poems, three more yulinting
He has authored hundreds of articles bowls depicting scenic spots at the fifth, sixth, and eighth bend turned up
and several books on Dutch fine and in the market. In 2016, the Tea Ware Museum in Hong Kong acquired these
decorative arts spanning from the Middle bowls to add to their existing tea ware collection. “As far as I know, there
Ages to the modern era. In 2013, he are only two more tea bowls decorated with gilt landscapes and poems by
published an extensive study of Chinese Zhu Xi from the yulinting kiln in China. One is in a Canton private collection,
riding gear in “Dragon & Horse, Saddle published in Huanwuzhizhi, March 2009, Guangdong People’s Press, China,
rugs and Other Horse Tack from China pages 141-142, which depicts a scenic spot at the 5th bent [sic]. The other
and Beyond”. Between 1976 and 2009 he one is in a Shanghai private collection.”
worked for numerous museums across Dr. Koos de Jong and
ingeborg de roode (photo
the Netherlands and was the director of courtesy of Stedelijk The personal involvement of Zhu Xi in the invention and possibly
the European Ceramic Work Center in Museum Amsterdam) even the production of this bowl seems possible, because Zhu Ki lived
Den Bosch. in close proximity of the yulinting kiln for many years and no ceramics
condition: Excellent condition with old wear and firing flaws. The with writings by Zhu Ki were ever produced outside this kiln. According
gilding has mostly worn off, which is not a surprise given the time that to K. y. Ng, it is likely that these bowls were produced in sets of ten, one
has passed since it was applied. introductory example and one for each bend of the river Jiuqu. Given
expert comment: According to the present owner, Mrs. rose Kerr, the effort that was invested in the quality of these bowls, it also seems
Honorary Associate of the Needham research Institute in Cambridge, possible that production was at least coordinated with Zhu Xi, especially
has commented this bowl as a “good piece” in 2018. because he lived so close. Given that Zhu Xi was one of the most important
calligraphers of his time, it can even be speculated that the characters on
some of these bowls were painted by the master himself.
Weight: 151.4 g
Dimensions: Diameter 12.4 cm With an associated box. (2)
The yulinting kiln-site is situated in a scenic area
near Mount Wuyi in Fujian province. It occupies an
area of six square kilometers. Excavations in 1998
and 1999 have uncovered remnants of a porcelain-
making workshop, two dragon kilns and some
kiln-implements and porcelains. Among these are
qingbai wares, black-glazed wares and celadons.
Some of the black-glazed bowls bear gold or silver
painted decoration and inscriptions. In Japan these
are known as kinsaimoji temmoku, “Temmoku with
gold painting and inscriptions,” and are valued
highly for use in the tea ceremony. The site is dated
the Yulinting Kiln from the 11th to the mid-13th century, coinciding
site today with the hey-days of the Jian kilns.
Zhu Xi (October 18, 1130 – April 23, 1200) has been described as the
second most influential thinker in chinese history, after confucius.
He was a Chinese calligrapher, historian,
philosopher, politician, and writer of the Song
dynasty. He was a Confucian scholar who founded
what later became known as the “learning of
principle” or “rationalist” school (lixue) and was
the most influential Neo-Confucian in China. His
contributions to Chinese philosophy include his
editing of and commentaries to the Four Books,
which later formed the curriculum of the civil
service exam in Imperial China from 1313 to 1905,
his emphasis on the process of the “investigation
of things” (gewu) and meditation as a method for
Zhu Xi (1130-1200) self-cultivation.

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