On August 8, 2014, Sotheby’s conducted a seven-sale series of Chinese ceramics in Hong Kong. A Chenghua chicken cup from the private Meiyintang collection of Chinese ceramics was sold at the auction for a record US$36.05 million (HK $281.24 million) to Shanghainese billionaire Liu Yiqian. This was recorded as the highest auction price for any Chinese Porcelain to be sold at.1
Chicken Cup in Doucai Painted Enamels 鬥彩雞缸杯
Porcelain | Ming dynasty (1368-1644), Chenghua reign (r. 1465-1487) | H: 3.8cm, Mouth Diameter: 8.1cm, Base Diameter: 4.0cm | Taipei National Palace Museum Collection. 瓷器｜明成化（公元1465年-1487年）｜高3.8公分 口徑8.1公分 底徑4.0公分｜台北故宮博物院藏
The Chicken Cup is a bowl-shaped vessel made of Chinese porcelain painted in the doucai technique. Chicken cups were created during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), during the Chenghua Emperor’s reign (1465–1487) in China, and originally functioned as a vessel to drink wine from. Chenghua Chicken Cups were created in an imperial kiln in the Jingdezhen porcelain factory, in Southern China.2
Chicken cups are decorated with chickens, hens and cocks. There are a rooster and a hen which feed their young chick, as they grub for worms and stretch out their wings. The chickens on the cup are interpreted as representing core dynastic Chinese values, such as continuing the family line and nurturing the young.
There are currently thirteen authentic Chenghua cups held by museums and three cups owned privately. Chicken Cups from the Chenghua period do not have specific dates of production or identified artists recorded.
Doucai 鬥彩
The term “doucai” 鬥彩 (lit. “contending colours”) refers to the process of outlining forms on porcelain in cobalt blue, covering the piece with transparent glaze and firing at high temperatures, and then filling the spaces with colors. Finally the piece is put into the kiln again to be fired at low temperature and completed.
This technique began in Xuande reign (r. 1425-1435) and was perfected by the time of Emperor Chenghua (r.1465-1487). The durability and pure translucence of the thin bodies of Chenghua doucai porcelains, along with their “contending” colours of blue and other hues, not only made them renowned at the time, but also the object of imitation in later generations.3
Lidded Jar with Flying Elephants Above Waves in Doucai Painted Enamels and “Tian” Mark 「天」字款鬥彩波 飛象紋蓋罐
Porcelain | Ming dynasty (1368-1644), Chenghua reign (r. 1465-1487) | H (with lid): 12.7cm, H (w/o lid): 11.0cm, Mouth Diameter: 6.5cm, Base Diameter: 8.8cm | Taipei National Palace Museum Collection. 瓷器｜明成化（公元1465年-1487年）｜通高12.7公分 高11.0公分 口徑6.5公分 底徑8.8公分｜台北故宮博物院藏4
「天」字款鬥彩波 飛象紋蓋罐 (故瓷10941)
Lidded Jar with Flying Horses in Doucai Painted Enamels and “Tian” Mark 鬥彩龍紋蓋罐「天」字款
Porcelain | Ming dynasty (1368-1644), Chenghua reign (r. 1465-1487) | H: 11.3cm, Mouth Diameter: 6.2cm, Widest: 12.8cm, Base Diameter: 9.2cm | Taipei National Palace Museum Collection. 瓷器｜明成化（公元1465年-1487年）｜通高11.3公分 口徑6.2公分 腹徑12.8公分 底徑9.2公分；蓋高1.8公分 徑7.6公分｜台北故宮博物院藏5
鬥彩龍紋蓋罐「天」字款 (故瓷6076)
During the Chenghua reign, the production of imperial wares had been influenced by the style of the previous reign during the Xuande period (r. 1426–1435). Toward the end of Emperor Xuande’s reign, the imperial porcelain industry in Jingdezhen began to expand production quantities.
Left to right:
- Cup with doucai polychrome decoration of two makara dragons 鬥彩夔龍杯6
- Cup with flowers and butterflies in doucai painted enamels 鬥彩花蝶杯7
- Cup with grape vines in doucai painted enamels 门彩術萄紋杯8
Porcelain | Ming dynasty (1368-1644), Chenghua reign (r. 1465-1487) | Taipei National Palace Museum Collection. 瓷器｜明成化（公元1465年-1487年）｜台北故宮博物院藏
The imperial factory in Jingdezhen 景德鎮 was formally established during the Ming Dynasty in 1392, and was located in the Jiangxi province of China. The factory operated as the primary supplier of porcelain to the court, with pieces also reaching the elite class. Imperial porcelains were characterised by their use of motifs which were symbolic and hierarchical, as they were regulated by the court and thought to embody the refined achievements of predecessors within the field of pottery such as those of the early Qing.
Left to right:
- Bowl with children at play in underglaze blue 青花嬰戲圖碗9
- Bowl with four makara dragons holding lotus decoration in underglaze blue青花夔龍紋碗10
- Dish with mandarin ducks in a lotus pond in wucai painted enamels 鬥彩蓮塘鴛鴦紋盤11
Porcelain | Ming dynasty (1368-1644), Chenghua reign (r. 1465-1487) | Taipei National Palace Museum Collection. 瓷器｜明成化（公元1465年-1487年）｜台北故宮博物院藏
During the Ming Dynasty, imperial porcelains also featured an increased range of colours, palettes and designs which could be underglaze, overglaze or slip painted. Jingdezhen porcelains had also gained global significance, with large quantities of Chinese export porcelain being exported to Asia, Europe and even Africa between the 15th and 17th centuries.
About Chinese National Treasure Series
中華國寶系列 Chinese National Treasure series feature specific artefacts and relics from museums all around the world that are historically significant to be considered a National Treasure. The series covers the 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation from Neolithic periods before the Xia dynasty (c. 2070-1600 BC) to modern day.
Footnotes:
- https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303978304579474870033833550 ↩︎
- Krahl, Regina (2014-04-08). “The Meiyintang ‘Chicken Cup'”. Sotheby’s. Retrieved 2019-05-16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_Cup_(Chenghua) ↩︎
- 「鬥彩」是以鈷料描繪物體輪廓線，施透明釉高溫燒，再以釉上顏料填彩，並入爐以低溫再次燒成的裝飾技法。這種技法創始於宣德，完成於成化。成化鬥彩在質堅、瑩潔的薄胎上，以釉下青花與釉上彩互相爭奇鬥豔，不僅名重當代，更是後代追仿的對象。[Museum Information Plaque, Sep 2023] ↩︎
- 罐，斂口，短頸，豐肩，斂腹，淺圈足內凹，帶平頂蓋。全器紋飾用釉下青花勾勒，加填各色彩釉。蓋面繪紅彩飛象獸，上飾一如意雲紋，下有波濤紋。蓋壁畫如意雲紋，加飾青線二道。肩與腹下各有一周青花填黃彩蕉葉紋。罐腹有四回首飛象，二紅、二黃，腳踏波濤飛騰，間飾青花如意雲紋。平底中書青花「天」字楷款。口緣稍有稜角，足底平。https://digitalarchive.npm.gov.tw/Collection/Detail/2159?dep=U ↩︎
- 這件蓋罐的器口寬直，短頸，肩部稍寬，腹部上豐下斂而呈微弧圓，至底足內收。本件作品在腹部兩側各畫一尾夔龍首尾相接。龍首鼻梁部分如象鼻高揚，張嘴舌吐蓮花，雙足呈龜足狀帶有四爪，龍身成波曲狀行走，龍翼與龍尾繪畫成卷草紋狀，青花輪廓線內填以綠色釉彩，在行龍的周邊畫如意雲，以青花渲染之，器肩部及腹部底邊畫以俯仰的變形蓮瓣紋，再填以黃釉彩，蓋面寬平，蓋緣邊點以小花，花瓣內填紅釉彩，外底心以青花書一「天」字，整件圖飾活潑，色彩清晰可愛。「天」字蓋罐是成化鬥彩瓷器中極為特殊的一個類象，景德鎮珠山明代御廠故址附近一帶曾出土七種大小不同尺寸，底部均書寫「天」字款的蓋罐，而本院的典藏，除夔龍紋外，尚有天馬紋及海獸波濤文蓋罐。一般所稱「鬥彩」，意指透明釉下青花輪廓與釉上彩飾互相襯托輝映，互為相拼鬥妍。根據近代學者研究，「天」字款蓋罐因「天」字，而隱含有官方用器的含意。https://digitalarchive.npm.gov.tw/Collection/Detail/1785?dep=U ↩︎
- Cup with doucai polychrome decoration of two makara dragons 鬥彩夔龍杯
高4.0公分 口徑5.7公分 足徑2.2公分
侈口窄唇，深壁，圈足。外壁繪夔龍二，各一口銜蓮花，姿態矯健，間飾青花朵雲。釉下青花輪廓線色淡，填染紅、綠、黃諸彩。口足分飾青線二道。內面素白無紋。底書青花「大明成化年製」雙方框六字楷款。https://digitalarchive.npm.gov.tw/Collection/Detail/2183?dep=U ↩︎ - Cup with flowers and butterflies in doucai painted enamels 鬥彩花蝶杯
高4.2公分 口徑6.8公分 底徑2.5公分
侈口窄唇，深壁，矮圈足。外壁青花畫花卉兩叢，飾以彩蝶八隻，口足沿各飾青線二道。內壁純白，樸素無紋飾。外底有青花書「大明成化年製」六楷字款，外加雙方框。https://digitalarchive.npm.gov.tw/Collection/Detail/28368?dep=U
Cup with flowers and butterflies in doucai painted enamels 鬥彩花蝶杯
高4.4公分 口徑6.8公分 底徑2.6公分
侈口窄唇，深壁，矮圈足。外壁青花畫花卉兩叢，飾以彩蝶八隻，口足沿各飾青線二道。內壁純白，樸素無紋飾。外底有青花書「大明成化年製」六楷字款，外加雙方框。
https://digitalarchive.npm.gov.tw/Collection/Detail/28369?dep=U ↩︎ - Cup with grape vines in doucai painted enamels 门彩術萄紋杯
高4.7公分 口徑7.6公分 足徑3.0公分
葡萄粒粒分明，成串地從枝梢垂懸而下，幾乎觸及地面，這是成化鬥彩葡萄杯裝飾的佈局特徵，透過此一紋樣所呈現出來的「葡萄紫」釉色，被視為是成化官窯的一大創意。除此器形外，鬥彩葡萄紋也出現於晚明文人鑑賞家津津樂道之「五彩葡萄撇口扁肚把杯」，即今日所稱高足杯上。https://digitalarchive.npm.gov.tw/Collection/Detail/47260?dep=U ↩︎ - Bowl with children at play in underglaze blue 青花嬰戲圖碗
高6.7公分 口徑15.5公分 底徑5.2公分
https://digitalarchive.npm.gov.tw/Collection/Detail/35499?dep=U ↩︎ - Bowl with four makara dragons holding lotus decoration in underglaze blue青花夔龍紋碗高9.4公分 口徑20.8公分 底徑8.4公分
https://digitalarchive.npm.gov.tw/Collection/Detail/36960?dep=U ↩︎ - Dish with mandarin ducks in a lotus pond in wucai painted enamels 鬥彩蓮塘鴛鴦紋盤
高3.8公分 口徑16.8公分 底徑10.4公分
盤心平整，壁微弧圓，口外撇，口內緣一圈青花藏文，盤心畫三層蓮花，兩對鴛鴦，一隻由空中俯下，一隻戲於水面，兩隻悠游於旁，並以水草點綴。外壁以四叢蓮花，兩對鴛鴦，各成單隻悠游於其中。以釉下之青花畫部份輪廓，再以紅、綠、褐等釉料做釉上彩繪的配合，形成一幅亮麗多彩的蓮塘鴛鴦圖。這種以青花畫出重點的半輪廓及加上適當的彩色來配成完整圖繪的手法，以江西土話稱之為「鬥彩」。其圈足內有「大明成化年製」青花雙圈款。在瓷器方面這種鴛鴦蓮塘的構圖在宋朝的定窯、耀州窯及元朝景德鎮青花瓷皆可見到，可知這種題材頗受喜愛。這件成化五彩蓮塘鴛鴦盤在造型、構圖、色彩都承自宣德的樣式，色彩仍相當穩健有力，是屬於成化前期之作。這種構圖應是宮中所喜愛或指定的樣式，一直到萬曆都有此構圖，只是一朝比一朝簡略化。https://digitalarchive.npm.gov.tw/Collection/Detail/1484?dep=U ↩︎
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