Persian Culture
Encountering Persian Poetry in the Forbidden City—Exhibition Notes at the Wuyingdian Ceramics Museum
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 15 views • 18 hours ago
Reposted from the web
Summary: This travel note introduces Encountering Persian Poetry in the Forbidden City—Exhibition Notes at the Wuyingdian Ceramics Museum. The Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor (Wuyingdian) at the Forbidden City officially reopened on May 1st after renovations. It is useful for readers interested in Forbidden City, Islamic Art, Persian Culture.
The Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor (Wuyingdian) at the Forbidden City officially reopened on May 1st after renovations. I visited over the weekend, and because I arrived early, I was able to experience the gallery without any crowds.
The first piece I want to share is the Ming Yongle period blue-and-white porcelain 'wudang' vase with scrolling floral patterns and Arabic script, produced at the Jingdezhen imperial kilns and held in the former Qing palace collection. Both its shape and decorative motifs imitate 14th-century brassware inlaid with silver from the Middle East. A white-glazed 'wudang' vase of the same shape was once unearthed at the Ming imperial kiln site in Zhushan, Jingdezhen. Originally, this piece of porcelain had no name, but because the Qianlong Emperor thought it looked like a vase without a base, he gave it this name.
This piece uses the imported 'Sumali blue' glaze characteristic of the Yongle and Xuande periods. Because it is a 'high-iron, low-manganese' cobalt pigment, the patterns often exhibit black-blue metallic crystalline spots of iron oxide. When viewed from the side, one can see an uneven texture, and the black-blue and cobalt-blue colors complement each other beautifully.
After the recent renovation of the Ceramics Gallery, they displayed a comparison photo of the 'wudang' vase alongside a 14th-century Egyptian Mamluk dynasty brass stand inlaid with silver from the British Museum; the shapes are indeed identical!
There are also blue-and-white porcelain candle holders with Arabic script and white-glazed porcelain plates with red-enamel Arabic and Persian script, all produced by the imperial kilns during the Ming Zhengde period (1506–1521). The imperial court during the Zhengde era was very fond of using porcelain with Arabic and Persian script. The third issue of the 'Journal of the Palace Museum' in 1984 published an article by Li Yihua titled 'Two Pieces of Zhengde-era Arabic and Persian Script Porcelain: Also Discussing the Influence of Islamic Culture.' It mentions that the Palace Museum holds over 20 pieces of Zhengde-period porcelain with Arabic and Persian script, but only one piece features red enamel. The four Arabic phrases in the center of the porcelain plate read, 'Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, says,' and the three lines of Arabic in the center of the plate are from the Quran, Surah Al-Isra (17:29), the latter half: 'And do not make your hand chained to your neck nor extend it completely and [thereby] become blamed and insolvent.' Additionally, there are four lines of Arabic Hadith on the wall of the plate, which mean: 'Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, says: Whoever does an atom's weight of good, or whoever does an atom's weight of evil, He (Allah) will see it; this is the reward for those who do good.' "
The most interesting part is the three lines of text on the bottom of the plate, which Li Yihua interpreted as 'Dimani Khan, namely Aman Suleiman Shah,' suggesting it may have been commissioned for a country in the Arab region. However, some scholars are more inclined to believe that 'Dimani' should be 'Da Mink,' meaning 'Great Ming.' According to this, the text reads 'The ruler of the Great Ming is King Suleiman,' which means the Zhengde Emperor's Arabic/Persian name was likely 'Suleiman (Solomon).' Therefore, some people jokingly refer to this piece of porcelain as 'King Solomon's Treasure.' Coincidentally, the ruler of the Ottoman Empire during almost the same period was the famous Suleiman the Magnificent (reigned 1520–1566).
There is also a very classic Ming Tianshun (1457–1464) imperial kiln blue-and-white porcelain three-legged cylindrical incense burner with Persian poetry and a 'Tianshun Year' mark. The outer wall is inscribed with poetry from 'The Orchard' (Bustan) by the famous Persian poet Saadi. After this renovation, they thoughtfully included a translation of the poem. Appreciating Persian poetry fired over 500 years ago inside the Forbidden City—my Inner Asian appreciation level just went up by 10,086.
During the Ming Yongle and Xuande periods (1403–1435), the blue-and-white porcelain produced by the imperial kilns learned much from the vessel shapes of the Middle East from the 12th to 14th centuries, resulting in many shapes that had never appeared before. After this renovation, the Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor specifically placed display boards for comparison, making it look very clear. In particular, this Ming Yongle blue-and-white jar with brocade patterns features motifs that are very classic in the Arab and Persian cultural spheres and can be seen on many famous mosques.
The newly renovated Ceramics Gallery has opened the Yudetang (Hall of Bathing in Virtue) on the west side of the Hall of Martial Valor as an exhibition hall for export porcelain. The most interesting thing about the Yudetang is that there is a beamless hall behind the outer hall that looks very much like a Turkish bath. The ceiling and walls are paved with white glazed bricks, flawless and pure. Behind it, there is an iron fireplace for heating water, which uses copper pipes to bring water into the room.
In his article 'A Study of the Yudetang in the Forbidden City's Hall of Martial Valor,' Shan Shiyuan argued that the Yudetang is a relic of the Yuan Dynasty imperial palace and was an Arabic-style bathhouse for the garrison commander outside the southwest corner tower of the Yuan Dadu palace city. Previously, during maintenance of the Forbidden City, white glazed tiles from the Yuan Dynasty were excavated near the Yudetang. They are very similar to the glazed bricks of the bathhouse and are very different from the yellow and green glazes commonly used in the Ming and Qing Forbidden City. Before the War of Resistance, the Society for Research in Chinese Architecture identified this bathhouse, noting that its dome is extremely similar to the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople... and it is likely a Yuan Dynasty structure.
Unfortunately, only the outer hall of the Ceramics Gallery is open this time. The Turkish bath in the back is not open to visitors because the passage is too narrow. From the outside, one can only see a part of the dome, which feels so much like the traditional bathhouse domes I have seen in Turkey. view all
Summary: This travel note introduces Encountering Persian Poetry in the Forbidden City—Exhibition Notes at the Wuyingdian Ceramics Museum. The Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor (Wuyingdian) at the Forbidden City officially reopened on May 1st after renovations. It is useful for readers interested in Forbidden City, Islamic Art, Persian Culture.
The Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor (Wuyingdian) at the Forbidden City officially reopened on May 1st after renovations. I visited over the weekend, and because I arrived early, I was able to experience the gallery without any crowds.
The first piece I want to share is the Ming Yongle period blue-and-white porcelain 'wudang' vase with scrolling floral patterns and Arabic script, produced at the Jingdezhen imperial kilns and held in the former Qing palace collection. Both its shape and decorative motifs imitate 14th-century brassware inlaid with silver from the Middle East. A white-glazed 'wudang' vase of the same shape was once unearthed at the Ming imperial kiln site in Zhushan, Jingdezhen. Originally, this piece of porcelain had no name, but because the Qianlong Emperor thought it looked like a vase without a base, he gave it this name.
This piece uses the imported 'Sumali blue' glaze characteristic of the Yongle and Xuande periods. Because it is a 'high-iron, low-manganese' cobalt pigment, the patterns often exhibit black-blue metallic crystalline spots of iron oxide. When viewed from the side, one can see an uneven texture, and the black-blue and cobalt-blue colors complement each other beautifully.
After the recent renovation of the Ceramics Gallery, they displayed a comparison photo of the 'wudang' vase alongside a 14th-century Egyptian Mamluk dynasty brass stand inlaid with silver from the British Museum; the shapes are indeed identical!
There are also blue-and-white porcelain candle holders with Arabic script and white-glazed porcelain plates with red-enamel Arabic and Persian script, all produced by the imperial kilns during the Ming Zhengde period (1506–1521). The imperial court during the Zhengde era was very fond of using porcelain with Arabic and Persian script. The third issue of the 'Journal of the Palace Museum' in 1984 published an article by Li Yihua titled 'Two Pieces of Zhengde-era Arabic and Persian Script Porcelain: Also Discussing the Influence of Islamic Culture.' It mentions that the Palace Museum holds over 20 pieces of Zhengde-period porcelain with Arabic and Persian script, but only one piece features red enamel. The four Arabic phrases in the center of the porcelain plate read, 'Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, says,' and the three lines of Arabic in the center of the plate are from the Quran, Surah Al-Isra (17:29), the latter half: 'And do not make your hand chained to your neck nor extend it completely and [thereby] become blamed and insolvent.' Additionally, there are four lines of Arabic Hadith on the wall of the plate, which mean: 'Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, says: Whoever does an atom's weight of good, or whoever does an atom's weight of evil, He (Allah) will see it; this is the reward for those who do good.' "
The most interesting part is the three lines of text on the bottom of the plate, which Li Yihua interpreted as 'Dimani Khan, namely Aman Suleiman Shah,' suggesting it may have been commissioned for a country in the Arab region. However, some scholars are more inclined to believe that 'Dimani' should be 'Da Mink,' meaning 'Great Ming.' According to this, the text reads 'The ruler of the Great Ming is King Suleiman,' which means the Zhengde Emperor's Arabic/Persian name was likely 'Suleiman (Solomon).' Therefore, some people jokingly refer to this piece of porcelain as 'King Solomon's Treasure.' Coincidentally, the ruler of the Ottoman Empire during almost the same period was the famous Suleiman the Magnificent (reigned 1520–1566).
There is also a very classic Ming Tianshun (1457–1464) imperial kiln blue-and-white porcelain three-legged cylindrical incense burner with Persian poetry and a 'Tianshun Year' mark. The outer wall is inscribed with poetry from 'The Orchard' (Bustan) by the famous Persian poet Saadi. After this renovation, they thoughtfully included a translation of the poem. Appreciating Persian poetry fired over 500 years ago inside the Forbidden City—my Inner Asian appreciation level just went up by 10,086.
During the Ming Yongle and Xuande periods (1403–1435), the blue-and-white porcelain produced by the imperial kilns learned much from the vessel shapes of the Middle East from the 12th to 14th centuries, resulting in many shapes that had never appeared before. After this renovation, the Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor specifically placed display boards for comparison, making it look very clear. In particular, this Ming Yongle blue-and-white jar with brocade patterns features motifs that are very classic in the Arab and Persian cultural spheres and can be seen on many famous mosques.
The newly renovated Ceramics Gallery has opened the Yudetang (Hall of Bathing in Virtue) on the west side of the Hall of Martial Valor as an exhibition hall for export porcelain. The most interesting thing about the Yudetang is that there is a beamless hall behind the outer hall that looks very much like a Turkish bath. The ceiling and walls are paved with white glazed bricks, flawless and pure. Behind it, there is an iron fireplace for heating water, which uses copper pipes to bring water into the room.
In his article 'A Study of the Yudetang in the Forbidden City's Hall of Martial Valor,' Shan Shiyuan argued that the Yudetang is a relic of the Yuan Dynasty imperial palace and was an Arabic-style bathhouse for the garrison commander outside the southwest corner tower of the Yuan Dadu palace city. Previously, during maintenance of the Forbidden City, white glazed tiles from the Yuan Dynasty were excavated near the Yudetang. They are very similar to the glazed bricks of the bathhouse and are very different from the yellow and green glazes commonly used in the Ming and Qing Forbidden City. Before the War of Resistance, the Society for Research in Chinese Architecture identified this bathhouse, noting that its dome is extremely similar to the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople... and it is likely a Yuan Dynasty structure.
Unfortunately, only the outer hall of the Ceramics Gallery is open this time. The Turkish bath in the back is not open to visitors because the passage is too narrow. From the outside, one can only see a part of the dome, which feels so much like the traditional bathhouse domes I have seen in Turkey. view all
Reposted from the web
Summary: This travel note introduces Encountering Persian Poetry in the Forbidden City—Exhibition Notes at the Wuyingdian Ceramics Museum. The Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor (Wuyingdian) at the Forbidden City officially reopened on May 1st after renovations. It is useful for readers interested in Forbidden City, Islamic Art, Persian Culture.
The Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor (Wuyingdian) at the Forbidden City officially reopened on May 1st after renovations. I visited over the weekend, and because I arrived early, I was able to experience the gallery without any crowds.
The first piece I want to share is the Ming Yongle period blue-and-white porcelain 'wudang' vase with scrolling floral patterns and Arabic script, produced at the Jingdezhen imperial kilns and held in the former Qing palace collection. Both its shape and decorative motifs imitate 14th-century brassware inlaid with silver from the Middle East. A white-glazed 'wudang' vase of the same shape was once unearthed at the Ming imperial kiln site in Zhushan, Jingdezhen. Originally, this piece of porcelain had no name, but because the Qianlong Emperor thought it looked like a vase without a base, he gave it this name.
This piece uses the imported 'Sumali blue' glaze characteristic of the Yongle and Xuande periods. Because it is a 'high-iron, low-manganese' cobalt pigment, the patterns often exhibit black-blue metallic crystalline spots of iron oxide. When viewed from the side, one can see an uneven texture, and the black-blue and cobalt-blue colors complement each other beautifully.
After the recent renovation of the Ceramics Gallery, they displayed a comparison photo of the 'wudang' vase alongside a 14th-century Egyptian Mamluk dynasty brass stand inlaid with silver from the British Museum; the shapes are indeed identical!
There are also blue-and-white porcelain candle holders with Arabic script and white-glazed porcelain plates with red-enamel Arabic and Persian script, all produced by the imperial kilns during the Ming Zhengde period (1506–1521). The imperial court during the Zhengde era was very fond of using porcelain with Arabic and Persian script. The third issue of the 'Journal of the Palace Museum' in 1984 published an article by Li Yihua titled 'Two Pieces of Zhengde-era Arabic and Persian Script Porcelain: Also Discussing the Influence of Islamic Culture.' It mentions that the Palace Museum holds over 20 pieces of Zhengde-period porcelain with Arabic and Persian script, but only one piece features red enamel. The four Arabic phrases in the center of the porcelain plate read, 'Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, says,' and the three lines of Arabic in the center of the plate are from the Quran, Surah Al-Isra (17:29), the latter half: 'And do not make your hand chained to your neck nor extend it completely and [thereby] become blamed and insolvent.' Additionally, there are four lines of Arabic Hadith on the wall of the plate, which mean: 'Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, says: Whoever does an atom's weight of good, or whoever does an atom's weight of evil, He (Allah) will see it; this is the reward for those who do good.' "
The most interesting part is the three lines of text on the bottom of the plate, which Li Yihua interpreted as 'Dimani Khan, namely Aman Suleiman Shah,' suggesting it may have been commissioned for a country in the Arab region. However, some scholars are more inclined to believe that 'Dimani' should be 'Da Mink,' meaning 'Great Ming.' According to this, the text reads 'The ruler of the Great Ming is King Suleiman,' which means the Zhengde Emperor's Arabic/Persian name was likely 'Suleiman (Solomon).' Therefore, some people jokingly refer to this piece of porcelain as 'King Solomon's Treasure.' Coincidentally, the ruler of the Ottoman Empire during almost the same period was the famous Suleiman the Magnificent (reigned 1520–1566).
There is also a very classic Ming Tianshun (1457–1464) imperial kiln blue-and-white porcelain three-legged cylindrical incense burner with Persian poetry and a 'Tianshun Year' mark. The outer wall is inscribed with poetry from 'The Orchard' (Bustan) by the famous Persian poet Saadi. After this renovation, they thoughtfully included a translation of the poem. Appreciating Persian poetry fired over 500 years ago inside the Forbidden City—my Inner Asian appreciation level just went up by 10,086.
During the Ming Yongle and Xuande periods (1403–1435), the blue-and-white porcelain produced by the imperial kilns learned much from the vessel shapes of the Middle East from the 12th to 14th centuries, resulting in many shapes that had never appeared before. After this renovation, the Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor specifically placed display boards for comparison, making it look very clear. In particular, this Ming Yongle blue-and-white jar with brocade patterns features motifs that are very classic in the Arab and Persian cultural spheres and can be seen on many famous mosques.
The newly renovated Ceramics Gallery has opened the Yudetang (Hall of Bathing in Virtue) on the west side of the Hall of Martial Valor as an exhibition hall for export porcelain. The most interesting thing about the Yudetang is that there is a beamless hall behind the outer hall that looks very much like a Turkish bath. The ceiling and walls are paved with white glazed bricks, flawless and pure. Behind it, there is an iron fireplace for heating water, which uses copper pipes to bring water into the room.
In his article 'A Study of the Yudetang in the Forbidden City's Hall of Martial Valor,' Shan Shiyuan argued that the Yudetang is a relic of the Yuan Dynasty imperial palace and was an Arabic-style bathhouse for the garrison commander outside the southwest corner tower of the Yuan Dadu palace city. Previously, during maintenance of the Forbidden City, white glazed tiles from the Yuan Dynasty were excavated near the Yudetang. They are very similar to the glazed bricks of the bathhouse and are very different from the yellow and green glazes commonly used in the Ming and Qing Forbidden City. Before the War of Resistance, the Society for Research in Chinese Architecture identified this bathhouse, noting that its dome is extremely similar to the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople... and it is likely a Yuan Dynasty structure.
Unfortunately, only the outer hall of the Ceramics Gallery is open this time. The Turkish bath in the back is not open to visitors because the passage is too narrow. From the outside, one can only see a part of the dome, which feels so much like the traditional bathhouse domes I have seen in Turkey.
Summary: This travel note introduces Encountering Persian Poetry in the Forbidden City—Exhibition Notes at the Wuyingdian Ceramics Museum. The Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor (Wuyingdian) at the Forbidden City officially reopened on May 1st after renovations. It is useful for readers interested in Forbidden City, Islamic Art, Persian Culture.
The Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor (Wuyingdian) at the Forbidden City officially reopened on May 1st after renovations. I visited over the weekend, and because I arrived early, I was able to experience the gallery without any crowds.
The first piece I want to share is the Ming Yongle period blue-and-white porcelain 'wudang' vase with scrolling floral patterns and Arabic script, produced at the Jingdezhen imperial kilns and held in the former Qing palace collection. Both its shape and decorative motifs imitate 14th-century brassware inlaid with silver from the Middle East. A white-glazed 'wudang' vase of the same shape was once unearthed at the Ming imperial kiln site in Zhushan, Jingdezhen. Originally, this piece of porcelain had no name, but because the Qianlong Emperor thought it looked like a vase without a base, he gave it this name.
This piece uses the imported 'Sumali blue' glaze characteristic of the Yongle and Xuande periods. Because it is a 'high-iron, low-manganese' cobalt pigment, the patterns often exhibit black-blue metallic crystalline spots of iron oxide. When viewed from the side, one can see an uneven texture, and the black-blue and cobalt-blue colors complement each other beautifully.
After the recent renovation of the Ceramics Gallery, they displayed a comparison photo of the 'wudang' vase alongside a 14th-century Egyptian Mamluk dynasty brass stand inlaid with silver from the British Museum; the shapes are indeed identical!
There are also blue-and-white porcelain candle holders with Arabic script and white-glazed porcelain plates with red-enamel Arabic and Persian script, all produced by the imperial kilns during the Ming Zhengde period (1506–1521). The imperial court during the Zhengde era was very fond of using porcelain with Arabic and Persian script. The third issue of the 'Journal of the Palace Museum' in 1984 published an article by Li Yihua titled 'Two Pieces of Zhengde-era Arabic and Persian Script Porcelain: Also Discussing the Influence of Islamic Culture.' It mentions that the Palace Museum holds over 20 pieces of Zhengde-period porcelain with Arabic and Persian script, but only one piece features red enamel. The four Arabic phrases in the center of the porcelain plate read, 'Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, says,' and the three lines of Arabic in the center of the plate are from the Quran, Surah Al-Isra (17:29), the latter half: 'And do not make your hand chained to your neck nor extend it completely and [thereby] become blamed and insolvent.' Additionally, there are four lines of Arabic Hadith on the wall of the plate, which mean: 'Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, says: Whoever does an atom's weight of good, or whoever does an atom's weight of evil, He (Allah) will see it; this is the reward for those who do good.' "
The most interesting part is the three lines of text on the bottom of the plate, which Li Yihua interpreted as 'Dimani Khan, namely Aman Suleiman Shah,' suggesting it may have been commissioned for a country in the Arab region. However, some scholars are more inclined to believe that 'Dimani' should be 'Da Mink,' meaning 'Great Ming.' According to this, the text reads 'The ruler of the Great Ming is King Suleiman,' which means the Zhengde Emperor's Arabic/Persian name was likely 'Suleiman (Solomon).' Therefore, some people jokingly refer to this piece of porcelain as 'King Solomon's Treasure.' Coincidentally, the ruler of the Ottoman Empire during almost the same period was the famous Suleiman the Magnificent (reigned 1520–1566).
There is also a very classic Ming Tianshun (1457–1464) imperial kiln blue-and-white porcelain three-legged cylindrical incense burner with Persian poetry and a 'Tianshun Year' mark. The outer wall is inscribed with poetry from 'The Orchard' (Bustan) by the famous Persian poet Saadi. After this renovation, they thoughtfully included a translation of the poem. Appreciating Persian poetry fired over 500 years ago inside the Forbidden City—my Inner Asian appreciation level just went up by 10,086.
During the Ming Yongle and Xuande periods (1403–1435), the blue-and-white porcelain produced by the imperial kilns learned much from the vessel shapes of the Middle East from the 12th to 14th centuries, resulting in many shapes that had never appeared before. After this renovation, the Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor specifically placed display boards for comparison, making it look very clear. In particular, this Ming Yongle blue-and-white jar with brocade patterns features motifs that are very classic in the Arab and Persian cultural spheres and can be seen on many famous mosques.
The newly renovated Ceramics Gallery has opened the Yudetang (Hall of Bathing in Virtue) on the west side of the Hall of Martial Valor as an exhibition hall for export porcelain. The most interesting thing about the Yudetang is that there is a beamless hall behind the outer hall that looks very much like a Turkish bath. The ceiling and walls are paved with white glazed bricks, flawless and pure. Behind it, there is an iron fireplace for heating water, which uses copper pipes to bring water into the room.
In his article 'A Study of the Yudetang in the Forbidden City's Hall of Martial Valor,' Shan Shiyuan argued that the Yudetang is a relic of the Yuan Dynasty imperial palace and was an Arabic-style bathhouse for the garrison commander outside the southwest corner tower of the Yuan Dadu palace city. Previously, during maintenance of the Forbidden City, white glazed tiles from the Yuan Dynasty were excavated near the Yudetang. They are very similar to the glazed bricks of the bathhouse and are very different from the yellow and green glazes commonly used in the Ming and Qing Forbidden City. Before the War of Resistance, the Society for Research in Chinese Architecture identified this bathhouse, noting that its dome is extremely similar to the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople... and it is likely a Yuan Dynasty structure.
Unfortunately, only the outer hall of the Ceramics Gallery is open this time. The Turkish bath in the back is not open to visitors because the passage is too narrow. From the outside, one can only see a part of the dome, which feels so much like the traditional bathhouse domes I have seen in Turkey.
Encountering Persian Poetry in the Forbidden City—Exhibition Notes at the Wuyingdian Ceramics Museum
Articles • ali2007fr posted the article • 0 comments • 15 views • 18 hours ago
Reposted from the web
Summary: This travel note introduces Encountering Persian Poetry in the Forbidden City—Exhibition Notes at the Wuyingdian Ceramics Museum. The Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor (Wuyingdian) at the Forbidden City officially reopened on May 1st after renovations. It is useful for readers interested in Forbidden City, Islamic Art, Persian Culture.
The Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor (Wuyingdian) at the Forbidden City officially reopened on May 1st after renovations. I visited over the weekend, and because I arrived early, I was able to experience the gallery without any crowds.
The first piece I want to share is the Ming Yongle period blue-and-white porcelain 'wudang' vase with scrolling floral patterns and Arabic script, produced at the Jingdezhen imperial kilns and held in the former Qing palace collection. Both its shape and decorative motifs imitate 14th-century brassware inlaid with silver from the Middle East. A white-glazed 'wudang' vase of the same shape was once unearthed at the Ming imperial kiln site in Zhushan, Jingdezhen. Originally, this piece of porcelain had no name, but because the Qianlong Emperor thought it looked like a vase without a base, he gave it this name.
This piece uses the imported 'Sumali blue' glaze characteristic of the Yongle and Xuande periods. Because it is a 'high-iron, low-manganese' cobalt pigment, the patterns often exhibit black-blue metallic crystalline spots of iron oxide. When viewed from the side, one can see an uneven texture, and the black-blue and cobalt-blue colors complement each other beautifully.
After the recent renovation of the Ceramics Gallery, they displayed a comparison photo of the 'wudang' vase alongside a 14th-century Egyptian Mamluk dynasty brass stand inlaid with silver from the British Museum; the shapes are indeed identical!
There are also blue-and-white porcelain candle holders with Arabic script and white-glazed porcelain plates with red-enamel Arabic and Persian script, all produced by the imperial kilns during the Ming Zhengde period (1506–1521). The imperial court during the Zhengde era was very fond of using porcelain with Arabic and Persian script. The third issue of the 'Journal of the Palace Museum' in 1984 published an article by Li Yihua titled 'Two Pieces of Zhengde-era Arabic and Persian Script Porcelain: Also Discussing the Influence of Islamic Culture.' It mentions that the Palace Museum holds over 20 pieces of Zhengde-period porcelain with Arabic and Persian script, but only one piece features red enamel. The four Arabic phrases in the center of the porcelain plate read, 'Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, says,' and the three lines of Arabic in the center of the plate are from the Quran, Surah Al-Isra (17:29), the latter half: 'And do not make your hand chained to your neck nor extend it completely and [thereby] become blamed and insolvent.' Additionally, there are four lines of Arabic Hadith on the wall of the plate, which mean: 'Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, says: Whoever does an atom's weight of good, or whoever does an atom's weight of evil, He (Allah) will see it; this is the reward for those who do good.' "
The most interesting part is the three lines of text on the bottom of the plate, which Li Yihua interpreted as 'Dimani Khan, namely Aman Suleiman Shah,' suggesting it may have been commissioned for a country in the Arab region. However, some scholars are more inclined to believe that 'Dimani' should be 'Da Mink,' meaning 'Great Ming.' According to this, the text reads 'The ruler of the Great Ming is King Suleiman,' which means the Zhengde Emperor's Arabic/Persian name was likely 'Suleiman (Solomon).' Therefore, some people jokingly refer to this piece of porcelain as 'King Solomon's Treasure.' Coincidentally, the ruler of the Ottoman Empire during almost the same period was the famous Suleiman the Magnificent (reigned 1520–1566).
There is also a very classic Ming Tianshun (1457–1464) imperial kiln blue-and-white porcelain three-legged cylindrical incense burner with Persian poetry and a 'Tianshun Year' mark. The outer wall is inscribed with poetry from 'The Orchard' (Bustan) by the famous Persian poet Saadi. After this renovation, they thoughtfully included a translation of the poem. Appreciating Persian poetry fired over 500 years ago inside the Forbidden City—my Inner Asian appreciation level just went up by 10,086.
During the Ming Yongle and Xuande periods (1403–1435), the blue-and-white porcelain produced by the imperial kilns learned much from the vessel shapes of the Middle East from the 12th to 14th centuries, resulting in many shapes that had never appeared before. After this renovation, the Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor specifically placed display boards for comparison, making it look very clear. In particular, this Ming Yongle blue-and-white jar with brocade patterns features motifs that are very classic in the Arab and Persian cultural spheres and can be seen on many famous mosques.
The newly renovated Ceramics Gallery has opened the Yudetang (Hall of Bathing in Virtue) on the west side of the Hall of Martial Valor as an exhibition hall for export porcelain. The most interesting thing about the Yudetang is that there is a beamless hall behind the outer hall that looks very much like a Turkish bath. The ceiling and walls are paved with white glazed bricks, flawless and pure. Behind it, there is an iron fireplace for heating water, which uses copper pipes to bring water into the room.
In his article 'A Study of the Yudetang in the Forbidden City's Hall of Martial Valor,' Shan Shiyuan argued that the Yudetang is a relic of the Yuan Dynasty imperial palace and was an Arabic-style bathhouse for the garrison commander outside the southwest corner tower of the Yuan Dadu palace city. Previously, during maintenance of the Forbidden City, white glazed tiles from the Yuan Dynasty were excavated near the Yudetang. They are very similar to the glazed bricks of the bathhouse and are very different from the yellow and green glazes commonly used in the Ming and Qing Forbidden City. Before the War of Resistance, the Society for Research in Chinese Architecture identified this bathhouse, noting that its dome is extremely similar to the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople... and it is likely a Yuan Dynasty structure.
Unfortunately, only the outer hall of the Ceramics Gallery is open this time. The Turkish bath in the back is not open to visitors because the passage is too narrow. From the outside, one can only see a part of the dome, which feels so much like the traditional bathhouse domes I have seen in Turkey. view all
Summary: This travel note introduces Encountering Persian Poetry in the Forbidden City—Exhibition Notes at the Wuyingdian Ceramics Museum. The Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor (Wuyingdian) at the Forbidden City officially reopened on May 1st after renovations. It is useful for readers interested in Forbidden City, Islamic Art, Persian Culture.
The Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor (Wuyingdian) at the Forbidden City officially reopened on May 1st after renovations. I visited over the weekend, and because I arrived early, I was able to experience the gallery without any crowds.
The first piece I want to share is the Ming Yongle period blue-and-white porcelain 'wudang' vase with scrolling floral patterns and Arabic script, produced at the Jingdezhen imperial kilns and held in the former Qing palace collection. Both its shape and decorative motifs imitate 14th-century brassware inlaid with silver from the Middle East. A white-glazed 'wudang' vase of the same shape was once unearthed at the Ming imperial kiln site in Zhushan, Jingdezhen. Originally, this piece of porcelain had no name, but because the Qianlong Emperor thought it looked like a vase without a base, he gave it this name.
This piece uses the imported 'Sumali blue' glaze characteristic of the Yongle and Xuande periods. Because it is a 'high-iron, low-manganese' cobalt pigment, the patterns often exhibit black-blue metallic crystalline spots of iron oxide. When viewed from the side, one can see an uneven texture, and the black-blue and cobalt-blue colors complement each other beautifully.
After the recent renovation of the Ceramics Gallery, they displayed a comparison photo of the 'wudang' vase alongside a 14th-century Egyptian Mamluk dynasty brass stand inlaid with silver from the British Museum; the shapes are indeed identical!
There are also blue-and-white porcelain candle holders with Arabic script and white-glazed porcelain plates with red-enamel Arabic and Persian script, all produced by the imperial kilns during the Ming Zhengde period (1506–1521). The imperial court during the Zhengde era was very fond of using porcelain with Arabic and Persian script. The third issue of the 'Journal of the Palace Museum' in 1984 published an article by Li Yihua titled 'Two Pieces of Zhengde-era Arabic and Persian Script Porcelain: Also Discussing the Influence of Islamic Culture.' It mentions that the Palace Museum holds over 20 pieces of Zhengde-period porcelain with Arabic and Persian script, but only one piece features red enamel. The four Arabic phrases in the center of the porcelain plate read, 'Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, says,' and the three lines of Arabic in the center of the plate are from the Quran, Surah Al-Isra (17:29), the latter half: 'And do not make your hand chained to your neck nor extend it completely and [thereby] become blamed and insolvent.' Additionally, there are four lines of Arabic Hadith on the wall of the plate, which mean: 'Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, says: Whoever does an atom's weight of good, or whoever does an atom's weight of evil, He (Allah) will see it; this is the reward for those who do good.' "
The most interesting part is the three lines of text on the bottom of the plate, which Li Yihua interpreted as 'Dimani Khan, namely Aman Suleiman Shah,' suggesting it may have been commissioned for a country in the Arab region. However, some scholars are more inclined to believe that 'Dimani' should be 'Da Mink,' meaning 'Great Ming.' According to this, the text reads 'The ruler of the Great Ming is King Suleiman,' which means the Zhengde Emperor's Arabic/Persian name was likely 'Suleiman (Solomon).' Therefore, some people jokingly refer to this piece of porcelain as 'King Solomon's Treasure.' Coincidentally, the ruler of the Ottoman Empire during almost the same period was the famous Suleiman the Magnificent (reigned 1520–1566).
There is also a very classic Ming Tianshun (1457–1464) imperial kiln blue-and-white porcelain three-legged cylindrical incense burner with Persian poetry and a 'Tianshun Year' mark. The outer wall is inscribed with poetry from 'The Orchard' (Bustan) by the famous Persian poet Saadi. After this renovation, they thoughtfully included a translation of the poem. Appreciating Persian poetry fired over 500 years ago inside the Forbidden City—my Inner Asian appreciation level just went up by 10,086.
During the Ming Yongle and Xuande periods (1403–1435), the blue-and-white porcelain produced by the imperial kilns learned much from the vessel shapes of the Middle East from the 12th to 14th centuries, resulting in many shapes that had never appeared before. After this renovation, the Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor specifically placed display boards for comparison, making it look very clear. In particular, this Ming Yongle blue-and-white jar with brocade patterns features motifs that are very classic in the Arab and Persian cultural spheres and can be seen on many famous mosques.
The newly renovated Ceramics Gallery has opened the Yudetang (Hall of Bathing in Virtue) on the west side of the Hall of Martial Valor as an exhibition hall for export porcelain. The most interesting thing about the Yudetang is that there is a beamless hall behind the outer hall that looks very much like a Turkish bath. The ceiling and walls are paved with white glazed bricks, flawless and pure. Behind it, there is an iron fireplace for heating water, which uses copper pipes to bring water into the room.
In his article 'A Study of the Yudetang in the Forbidden City's Hall of Martial Valor,' Shan Shiyuan argued that the Yudetang is a relic of the Yuan Dynasty imperial palace and was an Arabic-style bathhouse for the garrison commander outside the southwest corner tower of the Yuan Dadu palace city. Previously, during maintenance of the Forbidden City, white glazed tiles from the Yuan Dynasty were excavated near the Yudetang. They are very similar to the glazed bricks of the bathhouse and are very different from the yellow and green glazes commonly used in the Ming and Qing Forbidden City. Before the War of Resistance, the Society for Research in Chinese Architecture identified this bathhouse, noting that its dome is extremely similar to the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople... and it is likely a Yuan Dynasty structure.
Unfortunately, only the outer hall of the Ceramics Gallery is open this time. The Turkish bath in the back is not open to visitors because the passage is too narrow. From the outside, one can only see a part of the dome, which feels so much like the traditional bathhouse domes I have seen in Turkey. view all
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Summary: This travel note introduces Encountering Persian Poetry in the Forbidden City—Exhibition Notes at the Wuyingdian Ceramics Museum. The Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor (Wuyingdian) at the Forbidden City officially reopened on May 1st after renovations. It is useful for readers interested in Forbidden City, Islamic Art, Persian Culture.
The Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor (Wuyingdian) at the Forbidden City officially reopened on May 1st after renovations. I visited over the weekend, and because I arrived early, I was able to experience the gallery without any crowds.
The first piece I want to share is the Ming Yongle period blue-and-white porcelain 'wudang' vase with scrolling floral patterns and Arabic script, produced at the Jingdezhen imperial kilns and held in the former Qing palace collection. Both its shape and decorative motifs imitate 14th-century brassware inlaid with silver from the Middle East. A white-glazed 'wudang' vase of the same shape was once unearthed at the Ming imperial kiln site in Zhushan, Jingdezhen. Originally, this piece of porcelain had no name, but because the Qianlong Emperor thought it looked like a vase without a base, he gave it this name.
This piece uses the imported 'Sumali blue' glaze characteristic of the Yongle and Xuande periods. Because it is a 'high-iron, low-manganese' cobalt pigment, the patterns often exhibit black-blue metallic crystalline spots of iron oxide. When viewed from the side, one can see an uneven texture, and the black-blue and cobalt-blue colors complement each other beautifully.
After the recent renovation of the Ceramics Gallery, they displayed a comparison photo of the 'wudang' vase alongside a 14th-century Egyptian Mamluk dynasty brass stand inlaid with silver from the British Museum; the shapes are indeed identical!
There are also blue-and-white porcelain candle holders with Arabic script and white-glazed porcelain plates with red-enamel Arabic and Persian script, all produced by the imperial kilns during the Ming Zhengde period (1506–1521). The imperial court during the Zhengde era was very fond of using porcelain with Arabic and Persian script. The third issue of the 'Journal of the Palace Museum' in 1984 published an article by Li Yihua titled 'Two Pieces of Zhengde-era Arabic and Persian Script Porcelain: Also Discussing the Influence of Islamic Culture.' It mentions that the Palace Museum holds over 20 pieces of Zhengde-period porcelain with Arabic and Persian script, but only one piece features red enamel. The four Arabic phrases in the center of the porcelain plate read, 'Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, says,' and the three lines of Arabic in the center of the plate are from the Quran, Surah Al-Isra (17:29), the latter half: 'And do not make your hand chained to your neck nor extend it completely and [thereby] become blamed and insolvent.' Additionally, there are four lines of Arabic Hadith on the wall of the plate, which mean: 'Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, says: Whoever does an atom's weight of good, or whoever does an atom's weight of evil, He (Allah) will see it; this is the reward for those who do good.' "
The most interesting part is the three lines of text on the bottom of the plate, which Li Yihua interpreted as 'Dimani Khan, namely Aman Suleiman Shah,' suggesting it may have been commissioned for a country in the Arab region. However, some scholars are more inclined to believe that 'Dimani' should be 'Da Mink,' meaning 'Great Ming.' According to this, the text reads 'The ruler of the Great Ming is King Suleiman,' which means the Zhengde Emperor's Arabic/Persian name was likely 'Suleiman (Solomon).' Therefore, some people jokingly refer to this piece of porcelain as 'King Solomon's Treasure.' Coincidentally, the ruler of the Ottoman Empire during almost the same period was the famous Suleiman the Magnificent (reigned 1520–1566).
There is also a very classic Ming Tianshun (1457–1464) imperial kiln blue-and-white porcelain three-legged cylindrical incense burner with Persian poetry and a 'Tianshun Year' mark. The outer wall is inscribed with poetry from 'The Orchard' (Bustan) by the famous Persian poet Saadi. After this renovation, they thoughtfully included a translation of the poem. Appreciating Persian poetry fired over 500 years ago inside the Forbidden City—my Inner Asian appreciation level just went up by 10,086.
During the Ming Yongle and Xuande periods (1403–1435), the blue-and-white porcelain produced by the imperial kilns learned much from the vessel shapes of the Middle East from the 12th to 14th centuries, resulting in many shapes that had never appeared before. After this renovation, the Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor specifically placed display boards for comparison, making it look very clear. In particular, this Ming Yongle blue-and-white jar with brocade patterns features motifs that are very classic in the Arab and Persian cultural spheres and can be seen on many famous mosques.
The newly renovated Ceramics Gallery has opened the Yudetang (Hall of Bathing in Virtue) on the west side of the Hall of Martial Valor as an exhibition hall for export porcelain. The most interesting thing about the Yudetang is that there is a beamless hall behind the outer hall that looks very much like a Turkish bath. The ceiling and walls are paved with white glazed bricks, flawless and pure. Behind it, there is an iron fireplace for heating water, which uses copper pipes to bring water into the room.
In his article 'A Study of the Yudetang in the Forbidden City's Hall of Martial Valor,' Shan Shiyuan argued that the Yudetang is a relic of the Yuan Dynasty imperial palace and was an Arabic-style bathhouse for the garrison commander outside the southwest corner tower of the Yuan Dadu palace city. Previously, during maintenance of the Forbidden City, white glazed tiles from the Yuan Dynasty were excavated near the Yudetang. They are very similar to the glazed bricks of the bathhouse and are very different from the yellow and green glazes commonly used in the Ming and Qing Forbidden City. Before the War of Resistance, the Society for Research in Chinese Architecture identified this bathhouse, noting that its dome is extremely similar to the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople... and it is likely a Yuan Dynasty structure.
Unfortunately, only the outer hall of the Ceramics Gallery is open this time. The Turkish bath in the back is not open to visitors because the passage is too narrow. From the outside, one can only see a part of the dome, which feels so much like the traditional bathhouse domes I have seen in Turkey.
Summary: This travel note introduces Encountering Persian Poetry in the Forbidden City—Exhibition Notes at the Wuyingdian Ceramics Museum. The Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor (Wuyingdian) at the Forbidden City officially reopened on May 1st after renovations. It is useful for readers interested in Forbidden City, Islamic Art, Persian Culture.
The Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor (Wuyingdian) at the Forbidden City officially reopened on May 1st after renovations. I visited over the weekend, and because I arrived early, I was able to experience the gallery without any crowds.
The first piece I want to share is the Ming Yongle period blue-and-white porcelain 'wudang' vase with scrolling floral patterns and Arabic script, produced at the Jingdezhen imperial kilns and held in the former Qing palace collection. Both its shape and decorative motifs imitate 14th-century brassware inlaid with silver from the Middle East. A white-glazed 'wudang' vase of the same shape was once unearthed at the Ming imperial kiln site in Zhushan, Jingdezhen. Originally, this piece of porcelain had no name, but because the Qianlong Emperor thought it looked like a vase without a base, he gave it this name.
This piece uses the imported 'Sumali blue' glaze characteristic of the Yongle and Xuande periods. Because it is a 'high-iron, low-manganese' cobalt pigment, the patterns often exhibit black-blue metallic crystalline spots of iron oxide. When viewed from the side, one can see an uneven texture, and the black-blue and cobalt-blue colors complement each other beautifully.
After the recent renovation of the Ceramics Gallery, they displayed a comparison photo of the 'wudang' vase alongside a 14th-century Egyptian Mamluk dynasty brass stand inlaid with silver from the British Museum; the shapes are indeed identical!
There are also blue-and-white porcelain candle holders with Arabic script and white-glazed porcelain plates with red-enamel Arabic and Persian script, all produced by the imperial kilns during the Ming Zhengde period (1506–1521). The imperial court during the Zhengde era was very fond of using porcelain with Arabic and Persian script. The third issue of the 'Journal of the Palace Museum' in 1984 published an article by Li Yihua titled 'Two Pieces of Zhengde-era Arabic and Persian Script Porcelain: Also Discussing the Influence of Islamic Culture.' It mentions that the Palace Museum holds over 20 pieces of Zhengde-period porcelain with Arabic and Persian script, but only one piece features red enamel. The four Arabic phrases in the center of the porcelain plate read, 'Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, says,' and the three lines of Arabic in the center of the plate are from the Quran, Surah Al-Isra (17:29), the latter half: 'And do not make your hand chained to your neck nor extend it completely and [thereby] become blamed and insolvent.' Additionally, there are four lines of Arabic Hadith on the wall of the plate, which mean: 'Allah, the Exalted and Majestic, says: Whoever does an atom's weight of good, or whoever does an atom's weight of evil, He (Allah) will see it; this is the reward for those who do good.' "
The most interesting part is the three lines of text on the bottom of the plate, which Li Yihua interpreted as 'Dimani Khan, namely Aman Suleiman Shah,' suggesting it may have been commissioned for a country in the Arab region. However, some scholars are more inclined to believe that 'Dimani' should be 'Da Mink,' meaning 'Great Ming.' According to this, the text reads 'The ruler of the Great Ming is King Suleiman,' which means the Zhengde Emperor's Arabic/Persian name was likely 'Suleiman (Solomon).' Therefore, some people jokingly refer to this piece of porcelain as 'King Solomon's Treasure.' Coincidentally, the ruler of the Ottoman Empire during almost the same period was the famous Suleiman the Magnificent (reigned 1520–1566).
There is also a very classic Ming Tianshun (1457–1464) imperial kiln blue-and-white porcelain three-legged cylindrical incense burner with Persian poetry and a 'Tianshun Year' mark. The outer wall is inscribed with poetry from 'The Orchard' (Bustan) by the famous Persian poet Saadi. After this renovation, they thoughtfully included a translation of the poem. Appreciating Persian poetry fired over 500 years ago inside the Forbidden City—my Inner Asian appreciation level just went up by 10,086.
During the Ming Yongle and Xuande periods (1403–1435), the blue-and-white porcelain produced by the imperial kilns learned much from the vessel shapes of the Middle East from the 12th to 14th centuries, resulting in many shapes that had never appeared before. After this renovation, the Ceramics Gallery in the Hall of Martial Valor specifically placed display boards for comparison, making it look very clear. In particular, this Ming Yongle blue-and-white jar with brocade patterns features motifs that are very classic in the Arab and Persian cultural spheres and can be seen on many famous mosques.
The newly renovated Ceramics Gallery has opened the Yudetang (Hall of Bathing in Virtue) on the west side of the Hall of Martial Valor as an exhibition hall for export porcelain. The most interesting thing about the Yudetang is that there is a beamless hall behind the outer hall that looks very much like a Turkish bath. The ceiling and walls are paved with white glazed bricks, flawless and pure. Behind it, there is an iron fireplace for heating water, which uses copper pipes to bring water into the room.
In his article 'A Study of the Yudetang in the Forbidden City's Hall of Martial Valor,' Shan Shiyuan argued that the Yudetang is a relic of the Yuan Dynasty imperial palace and was an Arabic-style bathhouse for the garrison commander outside the southwest corner tower of the Yuan Dadu palace city. Previously, during maintenance of the Forbidden City, white glazed tiles from the Yuan Dynasty were excavated near the Yudetang. They are very similar to the glazed bricks of the bathhouse and are very different from the yellow and green glazes commonly used in the Ming and Qing Forbidden City. Before the War of Resistance, the Society for Research in Chinese Architecture identified this bathhouse, noting that its dome is extremely similar to the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople... and it is likely a Yuan Dynasty structure.
Unfortunately, only the outer hall of the Ceramics Gallery is open this time. The Turkish bath in the back is not open to visitors because the passage is too narrow. From the outside, one can only see a part of the dome, which feels so much like the traditional bathhouse domes I have seen in Turkey.