The “Four Treasures” which includes inkstick, inkstand, brush and paper are very well known, however other finely carved objects are also expressing the delicate Chinese literati sensibilities.

This blog will introduce water-droppers made in different materials. The water-dropper is an essential utensil for Scholars. Although it is not selected as one of the main objects in “The Four Treasures”,  it is associated with them in a vital and functional way. Each time the Scholar composed a literati work, he needed to produce ink by grinding an in-cake on an ink-stone, adding a small amount of water during the process.

In the past Chinese Scholars preferred using inkstick in the form of solidified ink to be dissolved with a small amount of water on an inkstone, in order to control the amount of water applied, they use water-dropper.  A classic water-dropper has two openings which function is to allow air passing through the dropper inside, it also permits to the water to flow smoothly. A literati would raise their index finger from one hole in order to release the air for the purpose of allowing water to fall out slowly and rhythmically, it is also a way that is considered to achieve inner peace.

Various shapes and different materials were used for water-droppers to enlighten the Scholars literati achievements.

On the left you can see a very interesting piece carved in bamboo in the shape of an auspicious emblem, the peach. This unique bamboo water-dropper is ingeniously carved with leaves around the fruit.

Along with the aesthetic consideration, this water-dropper deeply shows the essence of humble literati lifestyle and culture.

You can also find some water-dropper cast in bronze which is also a popular material in  the Chinese literati heritage; bronze casting technology in China has a very long history, which dates back to the early Shang, in the mid-second millennium BC.  Due to its well-established casting techniques in China, bronze has been made into various lively and delicate ornaments for Scholar’s desk. The heaviness of those bronzes could also be used as paper weight.

In our collection we have a piece depicting a buffalo with a shepherd boy playing the flute sitting on the top, which is a motif derived from a legend about the Emperor Hongwu founder of the Ming Dynasty. It is said he presented a picture of a boy ridding a buffalo for himself who had humble origins.

Ceramic is also a material very popular in Chinese cultural heritage, we are showing a pair of turquoise glazed water-dropper in the form of toads. Turquoise glazed technique was used since the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368), it represented a new orientation for the potters, and was mainly used during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Chinese Scholars liked to use writing accessories made of Jade, as Confucius praised jade as “the embodiment of virtue”. There are hundreds of Chinese saying which use the word Jade, almost always in a positive context, as something good, noble, beautiful or honest, reinforcing the cultural belief that jade is something associated with the best in a man. We are showing a Jade water-dropper in a shape of a quail, the meaning of that bird is courage, peace and harmony depicting perfectly Chinese Scholars.

在我們之前發表的名為《文人墨寶》的文章中，我們介紹了中國文人如何以傳統的方式通過桌上的物件展現他們高品質的審美。中國的“文房四寶”， 包括硯，硯台，毛筆和紙張，它們以被人所熟知，然而其他在書桌上出現的精緻物件同樣表達了中國文人的細膩情感。此文將要展示的是不同物件製作的名為水滴壺的物件。

水滴壺是文人墨客書桌上最基本的用具之一。儘管它沒有被選進“文房四寶”中，但它以一種重要和使用的方式將它們聯繫起來。中國文人在每次創作文墨時，都會有一步在硯台上磨墨的過程，通過加入少量的水。因為在過去，中國文人喜歡使用凝固的墨水，也就是硯，在硯台上用少量的水去溶解成墨汁，他們選擇了水滴壺來實現控制用水量。

一個經典的水滴壺造型，具有兩個孔，其功能正是讓空氣順利通過滴管內部再釋放。它同樣也允許了水順利地流動。文人會從一個洞口舉起他們的食指，以釋放空氣，讓水緩慢而有節奏地落下，這也是一種被認為可以實現內心平靜的方式。各種形狀和不同材質的水滴壺被用於豐富學者們的文藝成就。

下面你可以看到一件非常有趣的竹刻作品。它的形狀是一個具有吉祥含義的圖案——桃子。這個獨特的竹質水滴壺巧妙地在果實周圍雕刻了葉子。

除了在美學上的考慮，這個水滴壺還深深地展示了謙遜的文人的生活方式和他們的文化精髓。

除此之外，你也可以找到一些用青銅鑄造的水滴壺，這也是中國文人遺產中的一種常見的材料，中國的青銅鑄造技術有著悠久的歷史，這可以追溯到公元前兩千年的商朝早期。

由於中國具備了完善的鑄造技術，青銅也被製作成各種活潑精緻的文房飾品。並且，由於這些青銅器不小的重量，它們也可以作為紙鎮使用。

在我們的收藏中，有一件青銅製水滴壺作品描繪了一頭水牛，上面坐著一個吹笛子的牧童，這一形象也是源自明朝洪武皇帝的傳說。據說他將騎水牛的男孩形象以代表他純樸和謙卑的出身。

陶瓷也是中國文化遺產中非常流行的一種材料，我們展示的是一對綠松石釉面的蟾蜍造型的水滴壺。

綠松石釉面技術源自元朝（1279-1368），它在當時呈現出此後陶藝家們的新風潮，隨後在明清時期被廣泛地使用。

中國文人喜歡使用玉石製成的書寫配件，因為孔子將其讚為“美德的化身”。中國有許多使用玉這個詞的諺語，幾乎都是讚美之詞，通常指美好的，高貴的，美麗的或者誠實的事物，加深了其文化信仰，即玉和人的美德相互輝映的寓意。

我們展示的是一個鵪鶉形狀的水滴壺，這種鳥類的含義是勇氣，和平與和諧，完美地描繪了中國學者的品質。

The post Chinese Water-Dropper 中國水滴壺文化 appeared first on Chinese Wood Stands.

In China, implied meaning has always been an important part in antiques. Specifically, Chinese ancestors endowed some plants, animals, and imaginary beasts with different auspicious meanings. They believe that by possessing items with such images, their wishes would be conveyed to them. There are mainly three ways that Chinese people present auspicious meaning through objects:

Firstly, using widely known symbols to express their meaning. Secondly, directly using the auspicious words on the item. Finally, depicting images which can be express with auspicious meaning using puns or rebuses.

This blog will introduce you the first kind, which is the most commonly-seen, and diversified one.

The various plants, flowers, animals and Chinese characters provide artists with plenty of opportunity for artistic creation. Then, we will focus on illustrating one auspicious wish contain in several symbolic motifs: longevity.

Longevity – ShouLao

Longevity is one of the most culturally and symbolically important themes in traditional Chinese Art. It is one of the five blessings. Several images present the meaning of longevity, such as Shoulao (god of longevity), peach and Lingzhi Mushroom.

In Chinese traditional culture, the Sanxing (Three Stars) represents three attributes of a good life: Fu, Lu and Shou, each represents: blessings, status and longevity. They are thought to date from Ming dynasty. As a matter of fact, Shouxing or Shoulao is the god of longevity, he is recognised by his high domed forehead, with deer, crane and peach which is a symbol of immortality, and holding a stick (see below fig.1).

Longevity – ShouTao (Peach)

Peach is a typical auspicious symbol of longevity, with high status in Chinese culture.
《神异经》记载：“东方有树，高五十丈，名曰桃。其子径三尺三寸，和核美食之，令人益寿。”
Translate as:
“There are trees in the east.
They are fifty feet tall,
which are peaches.
Its son (peach) is three feet
and three inches in diameter,
the peach of immortality and
delicacy that ripens every thousands of year,
which makes people live longer”.

Gradually, peach became an emblem of long life.

Longevity – Lingzhi

Furthermore, Lingzhi is another important auspicious symbol of longevity and health. It is very rare and notable medical fungi since ancient China, people believe it has magical curative effect.

During the Qin (221-207BC) and Han (206BC-AD220) dynasties, Taoists regard Lingzhi as a magical plant. It also known as Xianzhi (fairy) or Shenzhi(spiritual). Moreover, in the Chinese traditional thinking, Lingzhi is an auspicious plant with a mystical force. It grows widely in deep mountains and is difficult for people to pick.

Figure 3 and 4 is a Chinese Boxwood Ruyi. The top of the Ruyi carved in the shape of a Lingzhi and an open-worked smaller Lingzhi intertwined, with silk tassel knot, which effectively emphasising the auspicious nature of that object.

In fact, there are plenty of theories regarding its origins, and because Ruyi literally means – ‘wishes fulfilled’ in Chinese. Accordingly, they are typical auspicious symbol for celebrating a longevity of a marriage. Accomplished craftsmanship were required to produce them.

Figure 5 and 6 is an unusual Zitan stand, with Lingzhi surrounded on the top and supported by open-work base.

In general, China has an extremely rich tradition of auspicious motifs. Above all, this blog presents different types of symbol with the expression of longevity. We will discuss more about this topic next time.

Leave a comment of your thought, and follow our blog page for the ‘next part’ of the symbolic meaning of auspicious symbol in Chinese artworks.

众所周知，古董艺术品是珍贵的原材料通过精细加工而成的，他们的收藏价值主要体现在艺术价值和实用性。但同时，古董艺术品的象征意义也是其收藏价值的一个重要组成部分。

在中国，具有意义的吉祥图案长久以来都是艺术品的重要组成部分。中华民族的祖先们赋予自然界许多动物，植物以及虚构的野兽不同的吉祥寓意，他们认为用这些图案装饰物品会给自己带来祝福和好运。在中国传统技艺中，主要有三种赋予艺术品吉祥寓意的方法：

第一种是将器物饰以广为人知的吉祥物，第二种是直接将带有祝福的话语装饰于器物表面，最后一种则是在艺术品上饰以通过谐音等与吉祥寓意关联的意象。本文将会介绍第一种赋予吉祥寓意的方法，同时也是最为常见，表现形式最为丰富的一种。

多种多样具有吉祥隐喻的动植物给艺术家们提供了广泛的创作空间。下面，我们将从第一种展开，介绍一个重要的吉祥寓意—— 长寿

长寿：

长寿是中国传统艺术品中最具文化和象征意义的主题之一，也是五福之一。有许多物品被赋予长寿意义，比如寿老，手套和灵芝就是其中颇具代表性的几样，传达着长寿健康，以及好运的意义。

在中国传统文化中，三星代表了中国人最基本的三个愿望，即：福，禄，寿，以及他们的代表，福星，禄星和寿星，此说法可追溯到明朝。古人将寿星描述为白须老翁，额部高而突出，常衬托以鹿，鹤，仙桃，以及拐杖，象征长寿（插图1）。

在中国艺术品中，代表长寿的典型之一就是寿桃。在传说中，天庭王母的寿桃可以使人益寿千年。另外，寿老手中也常执桃。《神异经》记载：“东方有树，高五十丈，名曰桃。其子径三尺三寸，和核美食之，令人益寿。”因此，桃逐渐成为了长寿的象征。

灵芝则是长寿与健康的另一个重要象征，它是中国古代非常罕见和著名的药用真菌，人们相信它有神奇的疗效。在秦朝（公元前221-207年）和汉朝（公元前206年-公元220年）时期，道家认为灵芝是一种神奇的植物，它也被称为仙芝或神芝。在中国传统思想中，灵芝也被视为是一种吉祥的植物，具有神秘的力量。它生长在环境十分恶劣的深山中，因此人们很难采摘到。

图3和图4是黄杨木雕如意。如意取料于整根黄杨木枝，一端自然刻画以灵芝，另有一稍小灵芝以镂空雕刻，缠绕于主干之上，生动自然。末端坠以吉祥结及流苏，有效的强调了这一物件的吉祥意义。

关于如意的起源有很多说法，“如意”，意为“称心如意”，同时也被广泛用为贺婚祝寿的重要物件。按清宫习俗，于皇帝或皇太后寿辰时，王公大臣会向其呈进如意，也是万寿节礼仪之一，故清宫礼品中如意存世数量最多。

图5和图6则是不规则的紫檀木座，顶部环绕灵芝，以开放式底座支撑。

总的来说，中国有着极其丰富的吉祥图案和传统，本博客只介绍了一种赋予吉祥意义的方法，我们会对这个话题进行更多的讨论。如果您有任何想法，请在下方留言并关注我们的博客页面，以及时了解更多关于本话题的内容。

The post The Symbolic Meaning of Auspicious Symbol in Chinese Artworks – 吉祥图案在中国艺术品中的象征意义 appeared first on Chinese Wood Stands.