KANGXI SIX-CHARACTER MARK WITHIN A DOUBLE CIRCLE IN UNDERGLAZE BLUE AND OF THE PERIOD (1662-1722)

The present jar depicts the famous Eighteen Scholars of Tang dynasty who assisted the Emperor Taizong to govern the empire, gathered in a forest garden in Yingzhou for literary pursuit, engaging in activities such as playing the zither, painting and calligraphy, drinking and dining. Compare to a Kangxi underglaze blue and red example depicting the same scene, see Taipei National Palace Museum’s Empty Vessels, Replenished Minds: The Culture, Practice, and Art of Tea, Taipei, 2002, pp.116-117, no. 96.