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Lot Essay
This exceptionally rare alms bowl has been in the de Jonge Family Collection for over a century. It is the only known example of its type made from aloeswood, one of the most prized raw materials for incense. Aloeswood (qinan) is the resinous wood from the Aquilaria tree (enxiang mu), an evergreen tree native to Southeast Aisa. The Aquilaria tree frequently becomes infected with a parasite fungus or mold, Phialophora parasitica, and begins to produce an aromatic resin in response to this attack. It is this precious resinous wood that is treasured around the world, particularly in China, Japan and Tibet. It has a very small yield and only comes in small pieces, therefore the generous size of the present bowl was achieved only by assembling several pieces together, a time consuming process that requires great craftsmanship. Due to the soft and perishable nature of the material, not many examples of aloeswood carving have survived. Among the examples in the two Palace Museums, the largest is a guang vessel carved with dragon and phoenix in the National Palace Museum in Taipei, also made by assembling several pieces of material together; however it is much smaller still than the present bowl.
The exterior of the bowl is masterfully carved in high relief with seven figures of Buddha, all seated in dyanasana with two hands folded above the lap. These seven Buddhas are the historical Buddha of this world, namely Vipasya, Siki, Visvabhu, Krokutachan, Nakanakamuni, Kasyapa and Sakyamuni. Each Buddha is enclosed in a double mandorla, with his name inscribed above, and a psalm associated with him inscribed to his right. At the end of the last psalm is a date Qianlong bingwu, corresponding to 1786.
In 1770, the Qianlong Emperor composed an essay on the Seven Buddhas to be inscribed on a tablet for the newly finished Seven Buddha Pagoda Pavilion outside the Forbidden City (see 'The Eulogy on The Seven-Buddha-Tower Pavilion', Qifuota bei ji, recorded in Second Compilation of Imperial Writings, juan 30). In the essay he mentioned that a Tibetan scroll sent as tribute by the Panchen Lama aroused his curiosity about these seven Buddhas, and he researched various sutras and consulted authorities, including his religious mentor, Changkya Rolpai Dorje, about these Buddhas. Finally he was able to trace their lineage, which was detailed in the essay. And it was to commemorate this that the pavilion was built (fig.1), indicating the high regard he has for the subject.
In the Tang dynasty, the poet Pi Rixiu (circa AD834-883) composed a poem on a green stone alms bowl in the Kaiyuan temple, supposedly once used by the Buddha himself and somehow found its way to China. Having read the poem, the Qianlong Emperor made a special request to see this bowl when he visited the temple on his first Southern Tour. He was apparently very taken by the simple and archaic form of the bowl and ordered to have an aloeswood example made when he returned to the capital. In 1758 (Qianlong bingyin year) he composed a poem On an aloeswood alms bowl to commemorate this event, giving details in a footnote:
"Pi Rixiu's poem recorded in detail the alms bowl in the Kaiyuan Temple. I asked to see it and composed on it last year during the Southern Tour, and ordered for it to remain in the temple. I am fond of its archaic form and asked a fine craftsman to make one in aloeswood accordingly. (Second Compilation of Imperial Poems, juan 75)"
In 1786, he composed another poem titled On a Seven-Buddha Bowl of Khotan Jade, with another very informative footnote:
"Although the alms bowl in the Kaiyuan Temple is not made of green stone, it is of archaic and elegant form. Upon returning I ordered a fine craftsman to make one using aloeswood, and inscribed on it with the names of the Buddhas and psalms furthermore, because aloeswood is not as durable as jade, I ordered to have this jade alms bowl made so one can pay tribute to it forever. (Fifth Compilation of Imperial Poems, juan 27)"
From these two records, it is clear that the aloeswood alms bowl that the Qianlong emperor mentioned was also inscribed with the names of the Buddhas like the present bowl. And it appears that only one such example was ever made, since the material is not only expensive but easily perishable, other more durable materials were later used as substitutes. It is very probable that the present bowl is the aloeswood bowl mentioned in Qianlong emperor's notes, and the first Seven-Buddha alms bowl made in the Qianlong period. Although the date of the inscription on the bowl is 1786, it is not unusual for an inscription to be added in a later date.
The fact that many other examples of Seven-Buddha alms bowls of various other mediums exist shows Qianlong's fondness of this subject. A celadon jade example in the Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) Collection (fig. 2, illustrated in The Summer Palace Collection, Beijing, 2000, p. 53), is identical with the present bowl. A spinach jade example in the Norton Gallery in Florida is similar in form with the present lot and also inscribed with the psalms, but not the names of the Buddha (illustrated by S. C. Nott in An Illustrated Record of the Stanley Charles Nott Collection of Chinese Jades, West Palm Beach, Florida, 1942, p. 348, no. 67). A hongmu example in the Palace Museum, Beijing, has an incurved rim but bears identical inscriptions with the present lot (illustrated in The Palace Museum Collection of Elite Carvings, Forbidden City Publishing House, Beijing, 1999, no. 82). A bamboo example, also in the Beijing Palace Museum, has the same form as the present lot but is only inscribed with the poem On an aloeswood alms bowl in the interior (illustrated in The Life of Emperor - Qian Long, Museu de Arte de Macau, 2002, no. 104), . Another white jade example in the Beijing Palace Museum bears no inscriptions (see The Complete Collection of the Treasures of the Palace Museum - Jadeware (III), Hong Kong, 1995, p. 146, no. 118). Two carved cinnabar lacquer examples are known: one in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, carved with the same inscriptions as the present lot (illustrated in Monarchy and Its Buddhist Way, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1999, no. 85); one is in the Palace Museum, Beijing, and is carved with a wave ground and without inscriptions (illustrated in Carved Lacquer in the Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, 1985, no. 354).
Psalms:
Body from that without form is born
Like illusions spring forth all shapes-
Illusion-man's mind originates from nothingness,
Pain, Joy: - alike empty - abide nowhere.
What arises from goodness is illusion;
What results in evil is also illusion.
Body is like gathered foam, mind like wind -
Illusion without origin, devoid of reality.
Through the Four Elements come forth Body,
Mind is not born but product of environment.
Lacking the environment there is no mind.
Pain, joy, as illusion rise or disappear.
Seeing that body does not exist is Buddha's seeing;
Knowing that the mind is an illusion is Buddha's knowing.
Know the nature of mind and body is emptiness-
Then how is one different from Buddha?
If Buddha be without body, know it is Buddha.
If its nature be distinguishable it cannot be Buddha.
The wise knows that one's nature is but emptiness
At ease he has no fear for life or death.
The law is based on no-law,
With no-law any law can be law.
If now the times be without law,
How can following the law be law?
The exterior of the bowl is masterfully carved in high relief with seven figures of Buddha, all seated in dyanasana with two hands folded above the lap. These seven Buddhas are the historical Buddha of this world, namely Vipasya, Siki, Visvabhu, Krokutachan, Nakanakamuni, Kasyapa and Sakyamuni. Each Buddha is enclosed in a double mandorla, with his name inscribed above, and a psalm associated with him inscribed to his right. At the end of the last psalm is a date Qianlong bingwu, corresponding to 1786.
In 1770, the Qianlong Emperor composed an essay on the Seven Buddhas to be inscribed on a tablet for the newly finished Seven Buddha Pagoda Pavilion outside the Forbidden City (see 'The Eulogy on The Seven-Buddha-Tower Pavilion', Qifuota bei ji, recorded in Second Compilation of Imperial Writings, juan 30). In the essay he mentioned that a Tibetan scroll sent as tribute by the Panchen Lama aroused his curiosity about these seven Buddhas, and he researched various sutras and consulted authorities, including his religious mentor, Changkya Rolpai Dorje, about these Buddhas. Finally he was able to trace their lineage, which was detailed in the essay. And it was to commemorate this that the pavilion was built (fig.1), indicating the high regard he has for the subject.
In the Tang dynasty, the poet Pi Rixiu (circa AD834-883) composed a poem on a green stone alms bowl in the Kaiyuan temple, supposedly once used by the Buddha himself and somehow found its way to China. Having read the poem, the Qianlong Emperor made a special request to see this bowl when he visited the temple on his first Southern Tour. He was apparently very taken by the simple and archaic form of the bowl and ordered to have an aloeswood example made when he returned to the capital. In 1758 (Qianlong bingyin year) he composed a poem On an aloeswood alms bowl to commemorate this event, giving details in a footnote:
"Pi Rixiu's poem recorded in detail the alms bowl in the Kaiyuan Temple. I asked to see it and composed on it last year during the Southern Tour, and ordered for it to remain in the temple. I am fond of its archaic form and asked a fine craftsman to make one in aloeswood accordingly. (Second Compilation of Imperial Poems, juan 75)"
In 1786, he composed another poem titled On a Seven-Buddha Bowl of Khotan Jade, with another very informative footnote:
"Although the alms bowl in the Kaiyuan Temple is not made of green stone, it is of archaic and elegant form. Upon returning I ordered a fine craftsman to make one using aloeswood, and inscribed on it with the names of the Buddhas and psalms furthermore, because aloeswood is not as durable as jade, I ordered to have this jade alms bowl made so one can pay tribute to it forever. (Fifth Compilation of Imperial Poems, juan 27)"
From these two records, it is clear that the aloeswood alms bowl that the Qianlong emperor mentioned was also inscribed with the names of the Buddhas like the present bowl. And it appears that only one such example was ever made, since the material is not only expensive but easily perishable, other more durable materials were later used as substitutes. It is very probable that the present bowl is the aloeswood bowl mentioned in Qianlong emperor's notes, and the first Seven-Buddha alms bowl made in the Qianlong period. Although the date of the inscription on the bowl is 1786, it is not unusual for an inscription to be added in a later date.
The fact that many other examples of Seven-Buddha alms bowls of various other mediums exist shows Qianlong's fondness of this subject. A celadon jade example in the Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) Collection (fig. 2, illustrated in The Summer Palace Collection, Beijing, 2000, p. 53), is identical with the present bowl. A spinach jade example in the Norton Gallery in Florida is similar in form with the present lot and also inscribed with the psalms, but not the names of the Buddha (illustrated by S. C. Nott in An Illustrated Record of the Stanley Charles Nott Collection of Chinese Jades, West Palm Beach, Florida, 1942, p. 348, no. 67). A hongmu example in the Palace Museum, Beijing, has an incurved rim but bears identical inscriptions with the present lot (illustrated in The Palace Museum Collection of Elite Carvings, Forbidden City Publishing House, Beijing, 1999, no. 82). A bamboo example, also in the Beijing Palace Museum, has the same form as the present lot but is only inscribed with the poem On an aloeswood alms bowl in the interior (illustrated in The Life of Emperor - Qian Long, Museu de Arte de Macau, 2002, no. 104), . Another white jade example in the Beijing Palace Museum bears no inscriptions (see The Complete Collection of the Treasures of the Palace Museum - Jadeware (III), Hong Kong, 1995, p. 146, no. 118). Two carved cinnabar lacquer examples are known: one in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, carved with the same inscriptions as the present lot (illustrated in Monarchy and Its Buddhist Way, National Palace Museum, Taipei, 1999, no. 85); one is in the Palace Museum, Beijing, and is carved with a wave ground and without inscriptions (illustrated in Carved Lacquer in the Collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing, 1985, no. 354).
Psalms:
Body from that without form is born
Like illusions spring forth all shapes-
Illusion-man's mind originates from nothingness,
Pain, Joy: - alike empty - abide nowhere.
What arises from goodness is illusion;
What results in evil is also illusion.
Body is like gathered foam, mind like wind -
Illusion without origin, devoid of reality.
Through the Four Elements come forth Body,
Mind is not born but product of environment.
Lacking the environment there is no mind.
Pain, joy, as illusion rise or disappear.
Seeing that body does not exist is Buddha's seeing;
Knowing that the mind is an illusion is Buddha's knowing.
Know the nature of mind and body is emptiness-
Then how is one different from Buddha?
If Buddha be without body, know it is Buddha.
If its nature be distinguishable it cannot be Buddha.
The wise knows that one's nature is but emptiness
At ease he has no fear for life or death.
The law is based on no-law,
With no-law any law can be law.
If now the times be without law,
How can following the law be law?