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Delon - Hoebanx

29 - China, 19th century, A commissioned cup in white porcelain, …
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Estimate €15,000 - €20,000
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Description
China, 19th century, A commissioned cup in white porcelain, decorated in blue underglaze with the battle of the eight immortals against the demons of the Western Sea. Rare apocryphal mark on the reverse Wudi Yuanfeng of the Han dynasty (av110-av105) Firing defect on the reverse. Diam. 19 cm The battle of the Eight Immortals and the Dragon King's son on the eastern sea painted on the bowl (cat.) is a popular subject in Yuan dynasty opera, as well as in the Ming dynasty novel, Wu Yuantai's Journey to the East. As they prepare to leave after a visit to the enchanted island of Penglai, home of the Queen Mother of the West Xiwangmu, the Immortals decide not to use a boat. Instead, they each transformed their talisman into a means of transport, demonstrating their extraordinary magical abilities. This unconventional method provoked the anger of the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea, who mobilised his forces to confront them. During the conflict, Lan Caihe, one of the Immortals, is captured, but the other seven manage to resist and end up killing the Dragon King's son. The confrontation intensifies when the Dragon King calls for reinforcements from his counterparts in the Western, Southern and Northern Seas. As the dragons unleashed tumultuous waves, Cao Guojiu managed to repel the waters with his jade plate. Finally, the intervention of the bodhisattva Guanyin brings a resolution to the conflict, reconciling the belligerents and securing the release of Lan Caihe. After recounting this legendary episode, my grandfather drew our attention to the delicacy of the illustrations, with particular emphasis on the depiction of the demons. A drawing like this would rightly suggest that it was a celebration of Taoism. Turning the bowl over reveals the mark 大漢元封年製, meaning "Made during the Yuanfeng era of the Han dynasty". The Yuanfeng era (110-105 BC) corresponds to the sixth name of era during the reign of the Han emperor Wudi. This choice, deliberately made by the commissioner, is not intended to date the bowl to this period and mislead connoisseurs. In fact, neither porcelain nor the Eight Immortals - the appearance of this Taoist theme dates back to the Tang or Song dynasties - were present in Yuanfeng's time. This mark therefore bears witness to a carefully considered intention on the part of the commissioner. The reign of the Han Wudi emperor (141-87 BC) is considered one of the golden ages of Chinese civilisation. Han Wudi himself is frequently celebrated as one of the three most eminent rulers in Chinese history, alongside the Taizong emperor of the Tang dynasty and the Kangxi emperor of the Qing dynasty. Before its accession to the throne, the Han dynasty was based on the Taoist principles of Wu wei, meaning "non-action" or "non-intervention". While this approach may have encouraged peaceful governance, it also contributed to a weakening of central political authority, paving the way for internal insurgencies and threats of invasion on the borders. Faced with this state of disorder and guided by the recommendations of Dong Zhongshu, the young Wudi initiated major reforms that would redefine the political and cultural foundations of his empire. He established Confucianism not only as the official state philosophy, but also as the moral framework structuring imperial society. This system emphasised strict hierarchical principles, establishing the supremacy of the sovereign over his subjects, the father over his son and the husband over his wife. Through his reorganisation of the government and his policies aimed at consolidating a strong, centralised state, he laid the foundations for a lasting legacy for imperial China, while exerting a significant influence on surrounding civilisations. Thus, this mark allowed my grandfather, Dương Minh Thới, to evoke the history of China under the reign of Emperor Han Wudi, while touching on the three "religions" (Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism). He concludes that the decoration depicting the Battle of the Immortals should not be interpreted as a glorification of Taoism, but rather as a critique of the 'non-action' and chaos that prevailed before Emperor Wudi established Confucianism as the central foundation of Chinese governance, a policy that led to the golden age of Chinese civilisation. Provenance : - former Duong Minh Thoi collection, Saigon - former Truong Khac Huê collection, Paris - by descent Alain and Philippe Truong, Paris
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About the sale Arts from Vietnam, China, Japan, Southeast Asia and India
Auction location
Auction time 06/11/2026 at 2:00 PM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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