QIANLONG/JIAQING PERIOD (1736-1820), WITH AN INSCRIPTION DATED TO JIAQING GENGWU YEAR, CORRESPONDING TO 1810

Details

AN INSCRIBED AND CARVED 'CHIWEN' DUAN INKSTONE
QIANLONG/JIAQING PERIOD (1736-1820), WITH AN INSCRIPTION DATED TO JIAQING GENGWU YEAR, CORRESPONDING TO 1810
The oval inkstone is carved with a flat circular grinding surface, below a young dragon with a fish-form body, chiwen, emitting water from its mouth, against a troughed well finely detailed with cresting waves, and surrounded by carvings in relief of a pair of dragons contesting a flaming pearl amidst clouds. The reverse is carved with a circular panel reserved on a ground of swirling clouds, enclosing a poem inscribed in running script extolling the scene and the various virtues of the dragon, followed by a date and signed, Zhong Zhenlü.
12 1/4 in. (31.2 cm.) long, fitted zitan box, Japanese double wood boxes

Provenance

Su Zhu An Collection, Kyoto

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Lot Essay

Zhong Zhenlü (1759-1822) was a scholar-official of the Jiaqing period. He passed his jinshi examination in 1808 and subsequently served as a county magistrate in Guandong province. Zhong and his brother Zhenkui (1750-?) were both recognised for their literary talent, especially in writing Chinese operas. Zhenkui is known to be the first person to adapt the novel Dream of the Red Chamber into Chinese opera.

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