The Hua-e Jiaohui Lou Collection

This work is inspired by the story of the “Five-picul Gourd” from the “Enjoyment in Untroubled Ease” chapter of the Zhuangzi. It serves as a metaphor that everything in the world has its own inherent value when put to its proper use. The carving depicts two figures crossing a river on a giant gourd. The artisan skilfully exploits the natural form of the root: the bottom of the gourd, the figures, and the paddle are all carved directly from the septa, demonstrating ingenious design and exquisite craftsmanship.

This textile was woven with purple wrap and weft threads, forming a background adorned by motifs shaped like a house in opposite directions of two alternate rows. Brocaded with goldwrapped plates, each pattern is decorated with a hare running amid flowers and vines. Hares were a popular auspicious motif in the Yuan dynasty. They were commonly applied on gold, silver and jade wares, as well as textiles. The Yuan people inherited the cultures of the Northern nomadic tribes of the Liao and Jin dynasties. As such, they adopted hunting motifs in their decorations derived from the theme of “spring by the water and autumn in the mountains”. Motifs of “spring by the water” would usually consist of waterfowl at lotus pond, while “autumn in the mountains” was often portrayed with scenes of beasts hunting their preys, which included animals such as tigers, gyrfalcons, deer and hares. The pattern of hares running amid flowers may represent the prey.

This Yuan dynasty gold brocade features a running rabbit motif. Depicted in a dynamic, leaping posture, the rabbit is vigorous and lifelike, a design likely associated with the hunting customs of northern nomadic tribes. A comparable example is housed in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.

In the original Song dynasty painting, the magnolia coco flowers are delineated with fine brushstrokes to capture their contours and veins. They are rendered with light colour washes and dotted with white pigment for the stamens, creating distinct layers and a vividly lifelike appearance. This brush pot cleverly references the fan-shaped composition of the original painting, framing it within a reserved panel. The artisan utilises the varying thickness of the bamboo skin to convey depth, employing thicker areas for the foreground and thinner areas for elements further back. The mottled texture of the leaves, the ruggedness of the branches, and the delicate beauty of the petals are all meticulously captured down to the finest detail within the bamboo skin. Among them is a half-open flower bud on the verge of blooming, for which the artisan specifically employed the sunken-relief carving technique. This accentuates the three-dimensional effect of the petals, making the blossom spring to life from the bamboo surface and imbuing the work with a lively charm.

This brush pot features a motif of plum blossoms and camellias, selected from the opening section of the Song dynasty handscroll Hundred Flowers, carved in liuqing low relief. In the original painting, the flowers and leaves are meticulously outlined and rendered with mere ink washes. Transposed into the medium of bamboo carving, the artisan relies solely on the varying thickness of the bamboo skin to articulate the layers of the flora. Similarly devoid of colour, the carving seamlessly inherits the subtle and elegant charm of the original masterpiece.

The gracefully extending plum branches of the original painting are adapted into a panoramic composition around the cylindrical body. As the brush pot is rotated, the scene unfolds like a slowly unrolling handscroll, offering a deeply engaging viewing experience. As a poetic verse describes, “Under a pale moon, the jade-like plum blossoms appear even more slender; in deep snow, the red camellias seem ready to ignite.” The winter plum is celebrated for its elegant refinement, while the camellia is praised for its vibrant beauty. Though distinct in their allure, both endure the bitter cold of winter, implicitly resonating with the resilient and vigorous spirit of bamboo.