Page 92 - SOtheby's Hong Kong Hawthorne Collection Scholar's Art May 2018

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AN EXCEPTIONAL CARVED IVORY 十七世紀 牙雕魁星扶文昌 連 紫檀座
‘WEN CHANG AND KUI XING’ GROUP ON A
ZITAN STAND
17TH CENTURY

the scholar Wen Quxing depicted seated wearing long flowing
robes and a cap, his right arm supported by the kneeling
demon Kui Xing with large bulging eyes, the ivory patinated
to a warm honey tone, all supported on a finely carved and
reticulated zitan stand in the form of a rocky grotto
figure: 7.3 cm, 2⅞ in.
HK$ 350,000-450,000
US$ 44,600-57,500

Wen Chang (also referred to as Wen Quxing) is the patron 文昌（亦指文曲星）乃玉帝指派管理天庭文運功名之神，
deity of literature whose heavenly task, assigned by the Jade
Emperor (Yudi), was to keep a record of all the meritorious 蓋有文公之人，均由其悉記在冊。民間信奉為主宰功名利
祿之星君，故而廣受科舉考生恭虔之敬重，願佑一朝金榜
men of letters. He was also believed to have power over the
destinies of scholars and officials and was venerated by 題名，可在朝為官。本品雕文昌君及魁星，魁星者，則擔
those in need of help with their examinations, particularly for 提榜記名之任。
obtaining the jinshi degree which was an essential requirement
for any position in the official bureaucracy. In this carving he is 台北歷史博物館藏一竹雕文昌及魁星作例，錄於《雕刻之
shown pictured with his assistant, Kui Xing, who is responsible 珍—明清竹刻精選展》，2005年，編號78；紐約佳士得亦
for issuing official testimonials.
售一同題材之雕刻作品，2008年9月17日，編號110。
A boxwood carving of Wen Chang and Kui Xing was included
in the exhibition Series of Exceptional Carvings. Selected Ming 明末之牙雕魁星作品，另可參考一例，選刊於《故宮博
and Qing Wood Carvings, National Museum of History, Taipei, 物院藏文物珍品全集：竹木牙角雕刻》，香港，2002
2005, cat. no. 78; and another was offered at Christie’s New 年，圖版107；另可較一例，著錄於 S.E. Lucas，《The
York, 17th September 2008, lot 110.
Catalogue of Sassoon Chinese Ivories》，卷1，倫
For an ivory carving of Kui Xing in the Palace Museum, Beijing, 敦，1950，圖版166，作者於書中言及，魁星殿試高中榜
attributed to the late Ming dynasty, see one illustrated in
The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. 首，然因相貌醜陋受辱，憤然墜河，由神獸鰲所救，後成
Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn Carvings, Hong 為文人之仙。
Kong, 2002, pl. 107; and another published in S.E. Lucas, The
Catalogue of Sassoon Chinese Ivories, vol. 1, London, 1950, pl.
166, where the author notes that the scholar Kui leapt into a
river in humiliation after he was denied first place in the jinshi
examinations by the Emperor due to his repulsive features.
After being saved by the mythical monster Ao, he was later
deified to become the stellar patron of the literati.

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