Page 50 - Christie's Hong Kong November 29, 2022 Tseng Collection Chinese Furniture

The burning of incense and other aromatics occurred in China since the 中國的焚香文化源遠流長，最早可追溯到漢代，既可禱祀許願，也可焚蘭塭
Han dynasty and were commonly used for both secular and religious 麝。香爐及陳放香爐的香几，多置官府，邸舍，以及廟宇，室內外皆宜。明代
purposes. Censers and their stands were placed in interiors, in Imperial 刊本《三寶太監西洋記通俗演義》木刻版畫插圖中便有一張長方香几，與本
offices, private residences but could also be placed in places of worship
or used outdoors. An incense stand of rectangular shape is illustrated 品極為相似（圖一）。
in the Ming dynasty Sanbao Tianjian Xiyangji Tongsu Yanyi (The Eunuch
Sanbao's Voyage to the Western Ocean) (fig. 1). 本品束腰加高的設計源自佛教造像台座須彌座，而起伏優雅的壺門造型
亦是仿照佛教龕窟門洞，均彰顯佛教色彩，如本場拍品2806 號香几上所見。
The high waist and the graceful undulations of the cusped apron on
the present stand are both distinctive features that have strong links 詳盡研究請参閱王世襄《中國傢具賞鑒 — 明代與清代早期》，香港，
to Buddhism. High waisted pedestal stands, xumizuo, were commonly 1990年，卷二，52-54頁。
placed in front of Buddhist images, whilst the arched outlines formed by
the apron resemble the kunmen, the outlines to the openings of Buddhist
caves and pagodas, also seen on the incense stand illustrated as lot 2806
in this sale. For further discussion, see Wang Shixiang, Connoisseurship of
Chinese Furniture: Ming and Early Qing Dynasties, Hong Kong, 1990, Vol.1,
p.52-54.

fig. 1: Ming dynasty woodblock print
illustration to Sanbao Tianjian Xiyangji
Tongsu Yanyi (The Eunuch Sanbao’s
Voyage to the Western Ocean)
圖一：明代《三寶太監西洋記通俗演義》
木刻版畫插圖

48 RICH GOLDEN HUES AND GRACEFUL FORMS