.jpg?w=1)
拍品專文
This very rare and important jade beaker appears to be one of only six of this shape, i.e. of beaker or goblet shape, to have been published. The other five are excavated examples which date from the early Western Han dynasty (2nd century BC) to the Wei dynasty (AD 220-265).
Although the shape of each of these beakers may be similar, there are, besides the differences in decoration, the variations in the shape of the pedestal foot, and in some cases its construction. The most famous of these beakers or stem cups is the one excavated from the Western Han dynasty tomb of the King of Nanyue at Xianggang, Guangzhou, Guangdong province (fig. 1), which is constructed in three sections that can be disassembled: a deep flat-bottomed cup, a pedestal foot and a petal-carved flange which is inserted between the beaker and the foot, and which is supported by three gold-headed serpent-form silver braces that rise from the rim of a bronze tripod basin. See Xiaoneng Yang, ed., Chinese Archaeology, National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, 2000, pp. 430-1, for illustrations of this beaker and a line drawing showing how the piece is assembled. The decoration is carved in low relief and consists of a main band of small interlocking scrolls; the upper band with a scroll design reminiscent of similar borders found on contemporary lacquer; and the lower band with conjoined pointed petals, which are the same shape as those that form the flange.
Another beaker which is quite similar in decoration to the Nanyue beaker was excavated in 1976 from the site of the Qin dynasty Epang Palace, Dongzhang Village, Xi Jiao, Xi'an, Shaanxi province, and appears to have a separately made waisted, pedestal foot. See Zhongguo yuqi guanji - 4 - Qin, Han, Nan Bei Chao, Hong Kong, 1994, p. 6, no. 7. (fig. 2). Another similarly decorated early Western Han beaker raised on an integral, and more slenderly waisted foot, also excavated in 1976, from Luobowan No. 1 tomb at Gui Xian, Zhuang Tribe Autonomous Region, Guangxi province, is illustrated, ibid., p. 14, no. 19. (fig. 3)
The beaker most similar in shape to the Junkunc beaker is the one excavated from the Western Han dynasty mausoleum of the Prince of Chu at Shizishan, Xuzhou, Jiangsu province, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Unearthed Jades in China - 7 - Jiangsu, Shanghai, Beijing, 2005, p. 146. (fig. 4) The fifth published beaker is one excavated in 1956 from a Wei dynasty tomb, Jianxi, Luoyang, also illustrated in Zhongguo yuqi quanji - 4, op. cit., p. 199, no. 278. (fig. 5) Unlike the other beakers and the Junkunc beaker, it is undecorated and appears to be white in color.
The Junkunc beaker is set apart from the others in several respects: its larger size; the style of decoration and the decorative motifs; the gold and silver-decorated bronze band at the rim; the silver lining and the hole that pierces the pedestal foot. While four of the beakers are carved in very low relief, the majority of the decoration on the Junkunc beaker is incised, except for the finely carved encircling rope-twist bands and their concave borders. The petal-shaped motifs found in the lower band correspond to the same motif found on the other decorated beakers, but the remainder of the decoration is very different. The use of incising for most of the decoration and the use of areas of cross-hatching shows the influence of earlier Warring States jades, and can be seen on the sides of a jade garment hook (4th-3rd century BC) illustrated by T. Lawton, Chinese Art of the Warring States Period, Freer Gallery of Art, 1982, p. 166, no. 114. The gold and silver-decorated bronze band on the Junkunc beaker also shows an earlier Warring States influence. See the similarly decorated bronze mount which forms the base and support for a lacquer cup in the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, illustrated in Hai-wai Yi-chen, Chinese Art in Overseas Collections, Lacquerware, Taiwan, 1987, p. 8, no. 8.
The silver sheet liner appears to be of later date, and as it slightly overlaps the top of the bronze band it is proposed that it was added to secure the bronze band and an added silver band to the top of the rim of the cup which at some point had been damaged. Sheet silver was extensively used during the Tang dynasty for the making of various vessels, and was also sometimes used as mounts on the rims of vessels of other materials. See the mi se porcelain bowl with yellow-glazed or gold-lined interior, parcel-gilt silver openwork appliques decorating the pale blue-green glazed exterior, and silver mounts on the lobed rim and foot found in the Famensi, which is illustrated in Famen Temple, Shaanxi Tourism Publishing House, 1994, pp. 75-6. The hole in the pedestal foot may also have been drilled during the Tang dynasty, perhaps to facilitate mounting the foot to an additional base, as there are traces of bronze encrustation on the edges of the foot. Whatever the reason for the addition of the liner and the alteration of the foot, it shows the high esteem with which an early, rare jade vessel of this type would have been held during a later period, and the wish to preserve it and prolong its use.
Technical examination report available upon request.
Although the shape of each of these beakers may be similar, there are, besides the differences in decoration, the variations in the shape of the pedestal foot, and in some cases its construction. The most famous of these beakers or stem cups is the one excavated from the Western Han dynasty tomb of the King of Nanyue at Xianggang, Guangzhou, Guangdong province (fig. 1), which is constructed in three sections that can be disassembled: a deep flat-bottomed cup, a pedestal foot and a petal-carved flange which is inserted between the beaker and the foot, and which is supported by three gold-headed serpent-form silver braces that rise from the rim of a bronze tripod basin. See Xiaoneng Yang, ed., Chinese Archaeology, National Gallery of Art, Washington DC, 2000, pp. 430-1, for illustrations of this beaker and a line drawing showing how the piece is assembled. The decoration is carved in low relief and consists of a main band of small interlocking scrolls; the upper band with a scroll design reminiscent of similar borders found on contemporary lacquer; and the lower band with conjoined pointed petals, which are the same shape as those that form the flange.
Another beaker which is quite similar in decoration to the Nanyue beaker was excavated in 1976 from the site of the Qin dynasty Epang Palace, Dongzhang Village, Xi Jiao, Xi'an, Shaanxi province, and appears to have a separately made waisted, pedestal foot. See Zhongguo yuqi guanji - 4 - Qin, Han, Nan Bei Chao, Hong Kong, 1994, p. 6, no. 7. (fig. 2). Another similarly decorated early Western Han beaker raised on an integral, and more slenderly waisted foot, also excavated in 1976, from Luobowan No. 1 tomb at Gui Xian, Zhuang Tribe Autonomous Region, Guangxi province, is illustrated, ibid., p. 14, no. 19. (fig. 3)
The beaker most similar in shape to the Junkunc beaker is the one excavated from the Western Han dynasty mausoleum of the Prince of Chu at Shizishan, Xuzhou, Jiangsu province, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Unearthed Jades in China - 7 - Jiangsu, Shanghai, Beijing, 2005, p. 146. (fig. 4) The fifth published beaker is one excavated in 1956 from a Wei dynasty tomb, Jianxi, Luoyang, also illustrated in Zhongguo yuqi quanji - 4, op. cit., p. 199, no. 278. (fig. 5) Unlike the other beakers and the Junkunc beaker, it is undecorated and appears to be white in color.
The Junkunc beaker is set apart from the others in several respects: its larger size; the style of decoration and the decorative motifs; the gold and silver-decorated bronze band at the rim; the silver lining and the hole that pierces the pedestal foot. While four of the beakers are carved in very low relief, the majority of the decoration on the Junkunc beaker is incised, except for the finely carved encircling rope-twist bands and their concave borders. The petal-shaped motifs found in the lower band correspond to the same motif found on the other decorated beakers, but the remainder of the decoration is very different. The use of incising for most of the decoration and the use of areas of cross-hatching shows the influence of earlier Warring States jades, and can be seen on the sides of a jade garment hook (4th-3rd century BC) illustrated by T. Lawton, Chinese Art of the Warring States Period, Freer Gallery of Art, 1982, p. 166, no. 114. The gold and silver-decorated bronze band on the Junkunc beaker also shows an earlier Warring States influence. See the similarly decorated bronze mount which forms the base and support for a lacquer cup in the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, illustrated in Hai-wai Yi-chen, Chinese Art in Overseas Collections, Lacquerware, Taiwan, 1987, p. 8, no. 8.
The silver sheet liner appears to be of later date, and as it slightly overlaps the top of the bronze band it is proposed that it was added to secure the bronze band and an added silver band to the top of the rim of the cup which at some point had been damaged. Sheet silver was extensively used during the Tang dynasty for the making of various vessels, and was also sometimes used as mounts on the rims of vessels of other materials. See the mi se porcelain bowl with yellow-glazed or gold-lined interior, parcel-gilt silver openwork appliques decorating the pale blue-green glazed exterior, and silver mounts on the lobed rim and foot found in the Famensi, which is illustrated in Famen Temple, Shaanxi Tourism Publishing House, 1994, pp. 75-6. The hole in the pedestal foot may also have been drilled during the Tang dynasty, perhaps to facilitate mounting the foot to an additional base, as there are traces of bronze encrustation on the edges of the foot. Whatever the reason for the addition of the liner and the alteration of the foot, it shows the high esteem with which an early, rare jade vessel of this type would have been held during a later period, and the wish to preserve it and prolong its use.
Technical examination report available upon request.