Antiques-History-Objects and This Week's Video

August 8, 2025 Volume 595

Bits and Pieces.

Chinese Antiquities at the Hong Kong Museum Of Art

Link to the Museum Website

The Chinese Antiquities collection has the widest ranging and oldest art objects and artefacts at the HKMoA. Totaling more than 4,500 items or sets, it includes ceramics produced by various kilns for domestic and export, textiles and other categories such as bronzes, jade carving, lacquer ware, enamel ware, glassware, bamboo carving, wood carving, ivory carving, rhinoceros horn and furniture. Among them, ceramics are the most representative, accounting for over half of the collection and spanning the period from Neolithic to the twentieth century. Fashioned for use in everyday life, as ritual objects, as mingqi (brurial objects) or purely for decoration, each and every piece has fortunately been preserved through the ages, escaping the ravages of time to form an essential part of China's rich cultural heritage. The Chinese Antiquities Collection embody a high degree of creativity and technological skill and thus provide invaluable materials for studying Chinese ancient society and culture.

Given Hong Kong's geographic location, it is natural that tangible art objects of southern China should be a central focus of our collection. As part of our mission to promote the understanding and appreciation of Chinese cultural relics, the Museum has been ardent in its efforts to acquire outstanding artefacts for display, while our collection has been tremendously enriched by generous donations and bequests from the public. Among the most significant of these are a collection of bamboo carvings received from the estate of Dr Ip Yee in 1985, which highlights the close relationship between this art form and the lifestyle of the Chinese scholar, and two collections of Shiwan pottery donated by Woo Kam Chiu in 1986 and by Mrs Kwok On in 1987, which bear testimony to the achievements of the celebrated Guangdong kiln. Equally important, however, are the many other donations our museum have received from numerous different institutions and individuals, and their generosity not only reflects their support of our museum, but is also indicative of the growing awareness of the need to preserve our cultural heritage.

Bronze gu with animal mask and kui dragon design

Late Shang dynasty (ca. 11th century BCE)
H 29.7 cm Dia (mouth) 16.7 cm

Based on archaeological findings, it is now generally agreed that Chinese history entered the early Bronze Age in about 2000 BCE, with the art of bronze casting reaching its peak during the Shang and the Western Zhou dynasties. Most of the bronzes made in these periods were intended for use during rituals and sacrifices, and large numbers of bronzes have been unearthed in Shang tombs.

Wine vessels rank among the most common type of bronzes cast in the Shang period, and this bronze gu is a fine example. With a wide trumpet mouth on a hollow, splayed foot, and a slender waist that is easy to hold with the hand, the upper section from the mouth to the neck is decorated with a vertical blade-shaped plantain design and a band featuring a snake pattern. The main motifs are kui dragons and an animal mask. The animal mask depicting a taotie, a ferocious mythical creature that is a common sight on Shang bronzes. Cast on the waist and splayed base, the mask is symmetrically divided by raised flanges, while the background is filled with the fine incised lines of leiwen thunder patterns. This complex and dense decorative style is typical of the late Shang period, as are the raised flanges, which serve the dual purpose of hiding the casting marks and accentuating the sense of solemnity evoked by the vessel.

White marble figure of Guanyin

Xinghe period (541), Eastern Wei dynasty
Stone (Marble)
Mark of 3rd year of Xinghe (541) and of the period, Eastern Wei dynasty
H 61.5 cm L 18 cm W 23.5 cm

The long dedicatory inscription carved on the four sides of the rectangular base provides important information on this beautiful white marble figure, revealing the date the sculpture was made and the reason why a Buddhist mendicant appeared to the people and advised them to make an image of Guanyin to worship plus a long list of donors.

With a serene facial expression and a calm posture, Guanyin, the Chinese deity of compassion and mercy, stands on a round pedestal with inverted lotus petals supported by the inscribed rectangular base. The mandorla is also shaped as a lotus petal with a pointed tip. The Guanyin wears a petal-shaped crown with a cowl hanging down his shoulders, as well as long flowing robes, the folds of which are represented by low relief lines on the body and end in two rows of stylised ripples at the feet. Flowing ribbons from his shoulders cross in front of the chest, passing through a circular bi-shaped disc. He also wears a simple necklace and holds a lotus in his raised right hand and a receptacle in his lowered left hand. The sculpture still bears some pigment: the mandorla is framed with a green border, and traces of red, green and blue can be found on various parts of the figure. The treatment of the drapery and the shape of the mandorla are both typical of Buddhist sculptures of the Eastern Wei dynasty.

Tomb guardian in sancai glaze

Tang dynasty (618 – 907)
Ceramics
H 70 cm W 20 cm

Developed from the low-fired lead glazes of the Han dynasty, sancai, or three-colour, wares were a new type of ceramics that appeared during the Tang dynasty and were intended for use as burial objects. Two or more metal oxides, such as copper, iron and cobalt, were used as colorants in a lead glaze fired at a low temperature of 800°C, a process that produced different tones of yellow, green, blue, brown, purple and black. The beauty of these glazes lay in their high fluidity, which allowed them to flow down and into each other to create striking gradations of tone and pattern.

The wide range of sancai wares, which have predominantly been found in areas around Xi'an and Luoyang, capital cities during the Tang period, includes utensils, animals, figurines and even architectural models, all of which reflect the customs and beliefs of the Tang nobility.

One such practice that was common among Tang nobles was to protect their tombs with tomb guardians. These fearsome looking creations were usually placed near the entrance or at the four corners of the tomb chamber, from where they could drive away evil spirits. Crouching on an openwork pedestal, this tomb guardian presents a ferocious picture with its impressive horns, staring eyes and full beard, the sharp fangs emerging from its large mouth, the pair of wings stretching out from its shoulders, and its long, hoofed forelegs. The figure is richly covered with yellow, green and creamy white glazes that intermingle on the body.

Vase with applied chi-dragon decoration and scrolling peony design in underglaze blue

The fifth year of Tianshun period (1461), Ming dynasty
Ceramics
Dated the fifth year of Tianshun period (1461), Ming dynasty
H 32 cm Dia (mouth) 4.4 cm Dia (belly) 21.2 cm Dia (foot ring) 10.4 cm

The twenty-nine years covering the reigns of Zhengtong, Jingtai and Tianshun have long been considered an interregnum in the history of Chinese ceramics. Production at the imperial kiln at Jingdezhen was interrupted as a result of social unrest and economic problems, and although production was still carried out at the various folk kilns, works dating from these three reigns are extremely rare. Most of the pieces that have been discovered and dated to this period are underglaze blue wares.

This heavily potted vase has a long neck, short shoulders, bulging body and a flat, glazed base. The foot ring has been removed. The decoration is divided into three sections by underglaze blue horizontal lines. The first section consists of a chi-dragon applied in relief and coiled around the neck of the vase against a background of auspicious emblems; the lower part is decorated with rocks and grass. The second section consists of continuous peony scrolls around the belly, while the third, on the underside of the belly, contains a 47–character–inscription recording that it was an altarpiece dedicated by a man called Cheng Chang and his wife in Duoyuanwang village, Xiameitiandu, praying for a prosperous officialdom. Bearing the date of the fifth year of Tianshun (1461) of the Ming dynasty, the vase is a prized item of great value for research and study.

Carved red lacquer box with bird and flower design

Yuan dynasty (1271 – 1368)
Lacquer
Mark of ‘Zhang Cheng Zao' and ‘Yangji'
Dia 24.4 cm H 10.9 cm

The resinous sap of the lacquer tree rhus verniciflua has been used by the Chinese as a protective and watertight covering for wood and other vessels since the Neolithic period. It was during the Yuan and early Ming that the most accomplished carved lacquers were produced, and among these the wares produced by Zhang Cheng and Yang Mao of Jiaxing in Zhejiang province are renowned for their fine technique and lustrous finish.

This red lacquer box belongs to the work of Zhang Cheng. The slightly rounded cover is carved with two herons in flight above a bed of hibiscus on a buff background, while the straight sides are decorated with bands of flowers of the four seasons. A layer of black lacquer is inserted in between the red, and two parallel grooves are carved on the outside of the foot ring. The base is lacquered in black. Distinguished by its fine craftsmanship and attractive decorative design, the box features an incised mark of Zhang Cheng on the left side and also red Phags-pa inscriptions reading ‘Yangji' painted on the centre of the base and on the inside of the cover.

Mallow-shaped flower pot saucer in purple blue glaze, Jun ware

Southern Song (1127 – 1279)
Ceramics
Mark of character 'seven'
H 6.5 cm Dia 22 cm

Known as one of the "Five Great Kilns" of China, the Jun kiln was located in Yu county of Henan province (ancient Junzhou) during the Song dynasty. Archaeological discoveries at the Baguadong kiln prove that this particular site was once used to produce imperial wares, especially basins, washers and vases, for Emperor Huizong.

Jun wares are famous for the magnificent way that their thick glazes change to produce such beautiful colours as moon white, sky blue and rose purple. This mallow-shaped flower pot saucer covered with thick, rich purplish-blue Jun glaze has an elegant form with an everted rim. Covered with a brown wash and bearing a ring of small spur marks, the flat base also reveals an incised numeral seven: In fact, one can usually find a numerical inscription on the bottom of Jun ware made in the imperial kiln. There are a number of records documenting the number characters. In The Pure and Rare Collection of Antiquities, one finds that "The best are inscribed with the character one or two". Xu Zhiheng (1877 – 1935) wrote in Porcelain Studies of Yin Liu Zhai that odd numbers were used to mark red vessels and even numbers were for green and blue ones. Theses on Ancient Porcelain by Feng Xianming (1921 – 1993) and other more recent books on archaeology agree that numerals were used to indicate the size of vessels, in descending order from one to ten. Numbering planters also made it easier to pair pot saucers to planters of a corresponding size. This argument is most widely supported by modern scholars but lingering debate suggests that further study is required to reach any sort of a conclusion.

Stem cup with lotus design in doucai technique

H 7.7 cm Dia (mouth) 6.1 cm

Chenghua period (1465 – 1487), Ming dynasty

Ceramics

Six-character mark of Chenghua and of the period (1465-1487), Ming dynasty

The use of doucai enamels began in the Xuande period (1426 – 1435) of the Ming dynasty, but the technique was brought to maturity in the Chenghua period. The term doucai, literally "contesting colours", refers to the coexistence of underglaze and overglaze decorations on the same item. The design would first be outlined or partially painted in cobalt blue pigment, then the entire vessel would be coated with a transparent glaze and fired at a high temperature. Next, coloured enamels would be applied over the surface of the glaze to complete the design, before the vessel was fired a second time at a lower temperature.

This stem cup has gently curved sides, a deep belly and a tall, splayed stem foot. The exterior is decorated with a lotus design, where the petals and leaves are outlined in underglaze blue and filled in with overglaze red, yellow and green. A single line border in underglaze blue marks the interior and exterior of the mouth rim and is repeated on the splayed foot. The base of the splayed stem is hollow. The base bears a six-character mark of the Chenghua period inscribed in underglaze blue in two columns of regular script. With its well-balanced form, its thin, light porcelain body and its finely painted decoration, this stem cup ranks among the finest doucai eThe use of doucai enamels began in the Xuande period (1426 – 1435) of the Ming dynasty, but the technique was brought to maturity in the Chenghua period. The term doucai, literally "contesting colours", refers to the coexistence of underglaze and overglaze decorations on the same item. The design would first be outlined or partially painted in cobalt blue pigment, then the entire vessel would be coated with a transparent glaze and fired at a high temperature. Next, coloured enamels would be applied over the surface of the glaze to complete the design, before the vessel was fired a second time at a lower temperature.

Bowl with the emblems of the Eight Immortals in doucai enamels

Donated by the National Museum of Chinese History, Beijing

Qianlong period (1736 – 1795), Qing dynasty

Ceramics

Six-character mark of Qianlong and of the period (1736 - 1795), Qing dynasty

H 5.4 cm Dia 20 cm

During the Qianlong reign of the Qing dynasty, polychrome wares reached new heights both in terms of the quantity and technical perfection of their production. This bowl in doucai technique is in the shape of a conical bamboo hat with a flared mouth, a broad rim, shallow sides and a tall foot. The cavetto is painted with the emblems of the Eight Daoist Immortals entwined with flower sprigs, while the exterior is covered with sprays of flowers of the four seasons. The flowers and branches would first have been outlined in underglaze blue and then filled with overglaze enamels to produce the brilliant doucai colour contrast. A six-character mark of Qianlong is written in seal script in underglaze blue on the base.

Legendary figures in Daoism, the Eight Immortals were widely used as decorative motifs during the Qing dynasty. Sometimes, as in this bowl, only the attributes of the Eight Immortals would be depicted. Thus here we see Tieguai Li's gourd, Lu Dongbin's sword, Zhang Guolao's 𝘺𝘶𝘨𝘶 (bamboo drum), Han Zhongli's fan, He Xiangu's lotus, Han Xiangzi's flute, Lan Caihe's flower basket and Cao Guojiu's castanets. As is the case with the Eight Immortals to which they belong, these emblems represent longevity.

Painted enamel vase in double gourd shape with bird and flower design in reserved panels

H 56.5 cm Dia (belly) 33 cm

Qianlong period (1736 – 1795), Qing dynasty

Enamel (Painted enamel)

The use of enamel was introduced to China in the Ming dynasty and was applied to vessels of metal, ceramics and glass. This last technique was brought to China by sea from Europe in the early Qing dynasty and was first learned and reproduced by the Cantonese. A layer of opaque enamel has first to be applied onto the copper vessel before firing to achieve a smooth surface. Next, coloured enamels are painted over the enamelled surface, before the vessel is fired a second time to complete the production process.

In the shape of a double gourd with a lobed, copper body, this vase is painted in polychrome enamels with a wash technique on a stippled yellow ground. The body is decorated with double gourds, vines (symbolic of the wish for many sons), grass scrolls, white plum blossom, leaves, butterflies and grasshoppers. Two reserved panels on the lobed belly are decorated with blossoming apple branches and birds and butterflies on a sky blue background. The unusually large size, the superb quality of the painting and the bright colours mark this vase out as one of the finest works in painted enamel.

Rhinoceros horn libation cup carved with nine dragons in high relief

H 13.6 cm L 18 cm W 12 cm

Qing dynasty (1644 – 1911)

Rhinoceros horn

Chinese medical lore credits rhinoceros horn with antipyretic, antidotal and aphrodisiac properties. With a natural tapering shape, it is not surprising that most of the vessels made from rhinoceros horn that can be found today are libation cups.

This libation cup with a tapered base is carved out of a large piece of rhinoceros horn in a rich honey-brown tone with dark brown areas at the base and extending to the inside. Finely carved in high relief and openwork, nine dragons chase flaming pearls amid clouds and rocky crags, clambering upwards and over the rim to form a cup handle and through the sides to the interior.

The use of mature scaly dragons on rhinoceros horn carvings as on this cup is very rare (the chi-dragon is the more commonly found species). An even more special feature is the total of nine dragons with four claws carved on the cup, strongly suggesting that it was made for imperial use.

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