Pillow with inscription by the Qianlong emperor dated 1768, Cizhou type ware

Object Details

• Description

  A pillow (one corner chipped) and broadcade box. Square in section with concave sides.

  Hard, buff clay; white slip; finely and faintly crackled glaze. Spur marks on both ends; vent hole in one end. Several kiln-cracks; two reddish-brown stains.

  Ch'ien Lung inscription of 78 characters and 2 "seals" in reddish-brown.

• Marks

  2 "seals" in reddish-brown, dated 1768. Also contains two spur marks.

  2 "seals" in reddish-brown, dated 1768. Also contains two spur marks.

• Inscriptions

  磁中定州猶椎輪

  丹青弗藉傳色紛

  懿茲芳枕貭樸淳

  蛤粉爲釉鋪以匀

  鉛氣火氣淨且淪

  粹然古貌如 ●人

  通靈弌穴堪眠雲

  信能忘憂能怡神

  至人無夢方宜陳

  小哉邯鄲漫云云

  乾隆戊子仲夏御題

  Upper "seal": 乾隆御賞

  Lower "seal": 幾暇怡情

  Translation:

  "Among porcelains this of Ting Chou is a 'solid wheel,' (1)

  The coloring does not depend on the use of many hues.

  The excellence of this fragrant pillow lies in purity of body;(2)

  Powdered oyster shell has made the glaze spread evenly.

  It has both the spotlessness of white lead and fiery ripples;

  Though pure it has the quality of age like a Taoist.

  It has the spiritual aspect of a cloud drifting in the heavens,

  So truly we may forget our troubles and indulge our minds.

  When men shall not dream of flouting the proprieties,

  The evils of Han-tan will matter not. (3)

  Written by the Emperor in the summer of 1768."

  (1) The P'ei wen yun fu (chapter 11, [char] p.85) quoting Hsiao T'ung's [char] (A.D. 501-531) Wen hsuan [char] Liang Chao Ming T'ai Tzu Wen hsuan hsu [char], says "In the beginning the imperial chariot had solid wheels, for it was best that the wheels of the imperial chariot be rugged." The allusion thus both gives the pillow imperial status, and also compares its lack of many colors to the lack of spokes in a solid wheel.

  (2) This may refer to the addition of lime to the glaze content as one of the ingredients to make it more easily fusible.

  (3) An allusion to the evil conduct of that notorious minister of the Ch'in [char] state Lu Pu-wei [char] who was at one time merchant of Han-tan the capital of the Chao [char] State.

  (3) An allusion to the evil conduct of that notorious minister of the Ch'in [char] state Lu Pu-wei [char] who was at one time merchant of Han-tan the capital of the Chao [char] State.

• Provenance

  To 1942

  T. H. Ching, New York. [1]

  From 1942

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from T. H. Ching, New York. [2]

  Notes:

  [1] Curatorial Remark 1 in the object record.

  [2] See note 1.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Looking Out, Looking In: Art in Late Imperial China (October 14, 2017 - ongoing)

  Beyond Paper: Chinese Calligraphy on Objects (August 18, 1994 to July 3, 1997)

  Chinese Ceramics (April 11, 1978 to September 4, 1980)

  Bicentennial Exhibition: Chinese Art (December 5, 1975 to November 10, 1976)

  Chinese Art (January 1, 1963 to March 6, 1981)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Ceramics (March 7, 1957 to January 1, 1963)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Ceramics, 1955 (September 19, 1955 to November 10, 1955)

  Centennial Exhibition, Gallery 13 (November 10, 1955 to March 1, 1957)

  Untitled Exhibition, East Asian Ceramics and Paintings, East Corridor (January 8, 1947 to ---)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Art, 1946 (May 6, 1946 to November 17, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Ceramics and Paintings (November 14, 1944 to May 3, 1946)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Painting and Ceramics, 1943 (March 22, 1943 to November 13, 1944)

• Previous custodian or owner

  T. H. Ching

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Furniture and Furnishing

• On View

  Freer Gallery 13: Looking Out, Looking In: Art in Late Imperial China

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1100s

• Name

  Ching, T. H.

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Art, Inscriptions, White slip, Cizhou ware, Stoneware, Chinese Art, Southern Song dynasty (1127 - 1279), Clerical script, Ceramics, Northern Song dynasty (960 - 1127), Kings and rulers

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Furniture, Furnishings

• On View

  Yes