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Lot Essay
Two other dishes of this rare and auspicious design have been published. One is in the Percival David Foundation and is discussed and illustrated by R. Scott, For the Imperial Court - Qing Porcelain from the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, American Federation of Arts, New York/Singapore, 1998, pp. 18, 50-51, no. 2. The pair to the David dish, which was previously also in the Percival David Foundation, is now in the Meiyintang collection and is illustrated by R. Krahl, Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection, vol. II, London, 1994, no. 896.
The form of the dishes is skillfully molded in multi-petalled flower form. The number of long slender petals suggests that the dish may have been intended to represent a chrysanthemum. Chrysanthemums were a favorite theme in Chinese ceramics, particularly during the Qing dynasty. The chrysanthemum is one of the flowers of the four seasons, and represents autumn, but it is also regarded as a symbol of wealth because of its many petals. In addition, it provides a rebus for longevity because one of the names for chrysanthemum in Chinese is ju, which is pronounced similarly to another Chinese word meaning 'long-enduring'. It is also regarded as a symbol of longevity, because infusions made from its flowers are said to have health-giving properties.
The wish for longevity is made even more explicit in the incised decoration on these dishes. In the center of the dishes the five-clawed imperial dragon (symbolizing the emperor) is depicted leaping above the waves. Between his two front claws the dragon holds the Chinese character wan, (ten thousand). Below him is the character shou, (longevity), while to his left and right are the characters qi (equal to) and tian (heaven). Thus the four characters can be read as meaning: 'ten thousand years of long life as boundless as heaven'.
These dishes therefore carried with them the hope that the emperor would enjoy prosperity and extended long life. They would thus have been appropriate for the celebration of an imperial birthday.
The form of the dishes is skillfully molded in multi-petalled flower form. The number of long slender petals suggests that the dish may have been intended to represent a chrysanthemum. Chrysanthemums were a favorite theme in Chinese ceramics, particularly during the Qing dynasty. The chrysanthemum is one of the flowers of the four seasons, and represents autumn, but it is also regarded as a symbol of wealth because of its many petals. In addition, it provides a rebus for longevity because one of the names for chrysanthemum in Chinese is ju, which is pronounced similarly to another Chinese word meaning 'long-enduring'. It is also regarded as a symbol of longevity, because infusions made from its flowers are said to have health-giving properties.
The wish for longevity is made even more explicit in the incised decoration on these dishes. In the center of the dishes the five-clawed imperial dragon (symbolizing the emperor) is depicted leaping above the waves. Between his two front claws the dragon holds the Chinese character wan, (ten thousand). Below him is the character shou, (longevity), while to his left and right are the characters qi (equal to) and tian (heaven). Thus the four characters can be read as meaning: 'ten thousand years of long life as boundless as heaven'.
These dishes therefore carried with them the hope that the emperor would enjoy prosperity and extended long life. They would thus have been appropriate for the celebration of an imperial birthday.