Chapter 1574: The Brilliant Wonder among Treasures
After the Tang Dynasty, more fair cups gradually began to be discovered.
For example, a tomb from the late Yuan Dynasty was excavated in Gaoliu Village, Gaoling, Chang'an.
This time a set of well-preserved justice cups was unearthed.
There is also a longevity star standing in the cup, and the tray is in the shape of a lotus leaf.
The workmanship and shape are very similar to the Justice Cup collected by the Jiangsu and Zhejiang Museums.
In folk collections, there is a blue and white poetry and prose Gongdao cup from the Tianqi period of the Ming Dynasty.
On the cup is written: "Leaking the buttocks is actually wine. If it is half full, it will not leak. If it is full, it will not be tolerated. Is it just that it is not acceptable, and there are no regrets, it is a common man. Please sit down, and the precept can be kept for a long time."
The general meaning is that you can drink half a glass of wine, otherwise all the wine will leak out. People cannot be too greedy, just be moderate.
In the middle of the cup stands an old man with fluttering sleeves, a natural expression and a full smile.
There is also a purple clay justice cup from the Qing Dynasty in the Jinling Museum.
This cup is in the shape of a semi-spherical lotus leaf. There is a scale on the floating figure. If the scale is exposed and you continue to pour wine, the wine will leak out from the small hole under the figure.
In the West, there are actually cups like this.
Of course, it only uses the siphon principle to make a similar cup, called the "Pythagoras Cup".
Legend has it that it was invented by the ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras.
The invention of the fair cup in ancient times in the East and the West all reflects the common idea of temperance.
Therefore, Chen Wenzhe was not greedy. He used the information to imitate the few fair cups that he knew about and did not even have pictures.
"Since we have made a justice cup, should we also make a backflow pot?"
Nowadays, in the antique market, it is usually a backflow jug and a fair cup, which are combined into a complete set for deception.
So what is a backflow pot?
The backflow pot, also known as the inner tube pot because there is a central tube in the center of the pot bottom, is one of the pot styles that began in the Spring and Autumn Period, became popular in the Tang and Song Dynasties, and was perfected in the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
The unique structure and ingenious internal design of the inverted pot fully reflect the wisdom and creativity of ancient skilled craftsmen. It is a wonder in my country's ceramic art.
Since water needs to be poured into the pot from the mouth of the bottom core, it is also called an inverted pot or an inverted pot.
According to relevant records, the "backflow" pot was most famous during the Song Dynasty.
By the Yuan Dynasty, its craftsmanship had become even more sophisticated.
According to the "Catalogue of Porcelain of the Yuan Dynasty", the production process of the "reverse flow" pot is rather peculiar. The firing requires three processes, each of which is complicated.
After these three processes were fired, they were then connected in sequence to form the Yuan Dynasty "backflow" pot with exquisite structure.
Because this pot reverses the traditional method of pouring water into the top of the pot, instead turning the pot upside down, pouring water into the pot from the bottom, placing it upright and then pouring it out, it is called a "reverse flow pot".
It is still unclear when the backflow pot was first produced.
During the Song, Liao and Jin dynasties, backflow pots were more popular.
The porcelain industry developed greatly in the Song Dynasty. At that time, there were many kilns and a wide variety of porcelain.
The white porcelain of the Ding kiln in the north, the carved celadon of the Yaozhou kiln, the white-glazed black flower porcelain of the Cizhou kiln, and the kiln-changed porcelain of the Jun kiln are all very famous.
The rich decorative techniques of that period constituted the unique style of northern porcelain.
The fifth generation Yaozhou kiln celadon-glazed inverted porcelain pot with carved patterns and lion patterns now in the collection of the Xishan History Museum is one of the representatives.
This work was unearthed in Xishanbin County in the early 1970s.
This pot integrates kneading, engraving, and die-printing decoration. The techniques are skillfully used, and the decorations are dense and dense, with natural transitions.
The whole body of the pot is covered with celadon glaze, the glaze color is deep green, elegant and moist, demonstrating the superb level of porcelain making technology of Yaozhou Kiln in the Five Dynasties.
When they first discovered this backflow kettle, many people didn't know how to use it.
Now we know and confirm that this is a national treasure, so it is now called the thousand-year-old "magic pot".
It is a gorgeous and unique piece of ancient porcelain treasures!
Because it has a unique shape and is exquisite and gorgeous.
The phoenix is used as the handle, the lion's mouth is used as the spout, and the peony, the king of flowers, is wrapped around the body of the pot, and it has an ingenious design.
The body of the pot is round, with the lid, beam and body connected as one.
The most important thing is to "pour the liquid in and turn it over without leaking", so it is called the "magic pot".
What kind of internal structure and magical "magic power" does this magical "magic pot" have?
What kind of past and present life does this porcelain pot, which shines with the "light of wisdom" from ancient times, have?
This is a celadon-glazed pour-over porcelain kettle, a true national treasure.
It is a porcelain pot that is as delicate as gold and as refined as jade.
This porcelain pot is 18.3 centimeters high and 14.3 centimeters in diameter. It is an outstanding treasure among Yaozhou kiln porcelain.
The porcelain pot has a phoenix-style lifting beam, lid, and a lactating lion mother and child at the joints of the pot. The spherical ampulla is decorated with entangled peonies. It is known as the "Three Kings" pot.
It has a unique shape, with the lid and body being integrated into one.
The water injection hole is in the center of the bottom of the utensil. When using it, the pot must be turned upside down and the liquid is injected from the plum blossom hole at the bottom. Therefore, it is also called the "magic pot" by the world.
This porcelain pot is now one of the "treasures" of the Shaanxi History Museum. In 1996, it was designated as a first-class cultural relic by the National Cultural Relics Appraisal Team;
In 2013, it was banned from export and exhibition as a first-class cultural relic;
In 2015, its replica was presented to Lao Mo, the three leaders of India, as a national gift.
This olive-colored celadon-glazed pour-over porcelain kettle has a novel and unique shape and complex and gorgeous patterns.
The body of the pot is round and shaped like an upside-down persimmon.
The handle is a phoenix, raising its head slightly as if it is about to spread its wings and fly.
The spout of the pot is a lioness lying on her side with her mouth open, and a lion cub clings to the lioness sucking milk, which is vivid and lifelike.
The body of the pot is decorated with convex and twisted peonies all around, and lotus petals at the bottom. The lines are free and easy.
According to the famous Yaozhou porcelain expert Zhuo Zhenxi, this celadon engraved pour-over pot is actually a rare treasure from Yaozhou kilns.
The Yaozhou Kiln began in the Tang Dynasty, flourished in the Song Dynasty, and declined in the Ming Dynasty. It is famous both at home and abroad for its exquisite carved celadon.
The engraving technique is to first use a knife to carve the outline of the pattern vertically, and then use the knife to carve diagonally next to the pattern, and remove the mud to make the pattern slightly convex, and then apply glaze and fire.
The finished product has clear patterns, distinct layers, crystal clear glaze color, and a strong three-dimensional effect.
So, how was such a beautiful and unique porcelain pot discovered?
When did this pot come from, and why was it recognized as a national treasure?
In 1968, a farmer in Chengguan Town, Bin County accidentally dug up a porcelain pot.
He didn't think much and threw the porcelain pot at home.
In 1982, when his relative Gao Lixun returned to his hometown to visit relatives, he accidentally discovered this strange pot. He guessed that it should be a cultural relic, so he took it to consult a cultural relic expert.
Cultural relic experts were very excited when they saw this ancient porcelain pot with unique shape and exquisite decoration, and thought it should be a rare Yaozhou kiln cultural relic.
After many twists and turns, the farmer donated the porcelain pot to the then-Xi Shaanxi Provincial Museum.