Page 116 - Bonhams Asian Art London November 5, 2020

Southern Song dynasty; image Late Ming dynasty; image after K.Brandt, Chinesische
after So Gen no bi: denrai no shiki Lackarbeiten: Linden Museum, pp.132-133, no.80
o chushin ni, Tokyo, 2004, pl.117

102
A VERY RARE PAIR OF CARVED CINNABAR-LACQUER ‘WEIQI’
BOXES AND COVERS
Late 16th/early 17th century
Each gently curving sides exquisitely carved with three-stringed lutes or
sanxian, clappers or paiban, mouth-organs or sheng, and bells, as well
conch-shells, fans, crickets, and auspicious symbols, all on a diaper-
pattern ground, the gently domed covers carved with ripe lychees borne
on leafy branches, each lychee carved with different patterns.
Each 12.5cm (4 7/8in) wide. (4).

£80,000 - 120,000
CNY700,000 - 1,100,000

十六世紀晚期/十七世紀早期 剔紅圍棋蓋罐一對

The present lot is extremely rare and there seem to be few published
examples.

The game of weiqi (圍棋) or encirclement chess, which is perhaps
better known in the West by its Japanese name of Go, was considered
to be one of the four accomplishments of a scholar-gentleman in
traditional Chinese society. The other three arts included playing the qin
(琴), a seven-stringed zither much enjoyed by Confucius; calligraphy or
shu (書); and painting or hua (畫). The decoration of various antiques
and musical instruments on the present lot underscore their nature as
objects for leisure and entertainment. According to some traditional
accounts, the mythical emperor Yao invented the game to enlighten his
son. The game which was known then as yi (弈) was also mentioned in
the Analects (Lunyu 論語) ascribed to the sage Confucius.

Weiqi boxes and covers were continuously made for the elites in
Chinese society. See a cinnabar-lacquer carved weiqi box and cover,
Southern Song dynasty, in Daiju-ji temple, Okazaki, illustrated in So
Gen no bi: denrai no shiki o chushin ni, Tokyo, 2004, pl.117. Compare
with a related but earlier pair of cinnabar lacquer weiqi boxes, Xuande
six-character mark and of the period, which was sold at Christie’s New
York, 19 March 2009, lot 581. Compare also with a pair of lacquer
weiqi boxes, Xuande six-character mark, late Ming dynasty, illustrated
by K.Brandt, Chinesische Lackarbeiten: Linden Museum, pp.132-133,
no.80. See also a pair of related cinnabar lacquer weiqi boxes and
covers, Jiajing six-character mark and of the period, illustrated in China
Lacquerwork & Enamelware Selection, Beijing, 2006, p.59.

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
114 | BONHAMS please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue.