YONGZHENG PERIOD (1723-1735)

Li Tieguai is one of the Eight Immortals of the Daoist pantheon and is known for his benevolence toward the poor, sick and needy. He is often depicted carrying an iron crutch and a gourd which contains special medicine that can alleviate suffering. The gourd also contains the sage’s soul, which is suggested by the vapour rising upwards on this vase. The cranes, peach and Li Tieguai himself all symbolise longevity and health, suggesting this vase was made as a birthday gift.

The masterful brushstrokes, meticulous details, delicate colours and refined potting of this double-gourd vase rank it among the finest imperial porcelains of the Yongzheng period, despite its lack of reign mark. The auspicious messages conveyed on the vase suggest it was commissioned as birthday gift for the Emperor or a senior member of the imperial family. Mr. Au highly prized this double-gourd vase and believed it was produced by Tang Ying, the superintendent of the imperial kilns at Jingdezhen. No similar example appears to have been published, presumably making this vase unique.