Perhaps due to the scarcity of handed down items or the influence of the character’s status, Chiang Kai-shek’s porcelain during the Republic of China is rarely known. However, with a scientific research attitude, we must "discuss things based on things" to have a relatively objective and correct understanding of this batch of porcelain. Based on the results of previous research, this article makes a preliminary review of Chiang Kai-shek's porcelain in the Republic of China for your reference.
1. Chiang Kai-shek's porcelain during the Republic of China is truly little-known
Compared with the "imperial porcelain" of rulers of other dynasties, Chiang Kai-shek's porcelain during the Republic of China is rarely known. This can be reflected in the following aspects: First, from the perspective of academic theoretical research, I checked and it seems that the only articles currently researching and introducing Chiang Kai-shek porcelain are in "Porcelain Appraisal of the Republic of China" (Hualing Publishing House, written by Tieyuan and Ximing) There is a special article mentioning it, and there are two or three articles on the Internet that provide additional introductions on this basis. This may be because the information I checked is incomplete, and there are other research articles that I have not found. However, it is absolutely no problem to conclude that there are very few research articles in this area; secondly, judging from the current amount of existence, they are extremely rare and have been Collections with relatively reliable provenances are mainly stored in Nanjing Museum, Lushan Museum, Taipei National Palace Museum and other collection institutions; thirdly, from the perspective of social awareness, there must be very few people in society, including the collection circle, who know about Chiang Kai-shek porcelain. Why do you dare to do this? Say what? Because there are basically no imitations of Chiang Kai-shek porcelain on the antique market. The author often accompanies experts to participate in free cultural relic appraisals for the public. In fact, most of them are imitations, but I have never seen any imitations of Chiang Kai-shek porcelain from the Republic of China. However, there are often imitation Yuan Shikai porcelains signed "Ju Ren Tang". meet. At the same time, I also searched specifically on the Internet, and there were only a few pieces of information about Chiang Kai-shek porcelain.
2. Chiang Kai-shek porcelain did exist during the Republic of China
Although it is extremely rare and little known, we have tangible evidence to prove that Chiang Kai-shek porcelain did exist during the Republic of China. exists.
(1) Unearthed objects as evidence
In 2003, fragments of Gemdale Wanhua tableware were unearthed in Jingdezhen. Inside were Gemdale pastel four-season flowers, with peonies, chrysanthemums, and lotuses painted in pastel. Leaf, the painting is exquisite. Although the gold color has been buried underground for more than 50 years, it is still shining and has no trace of falling off. The outside is white glaze, and the bottom of the outside is filled with white glaze. The red seal script reads "The Thirty-Sixth Year of the Republic of China Zhongzheng". , the handwriting is neat and tidy, the seal method is simple and powerful, and the silver hook and iron strokes are used. Also unearthed at the same time as this porcelain piece was a fragment signed "Rao Huafeng Porcelain Factory", which proves that it is true that Rao Huajie participated in the firing of porcelain for state gifts.
(2) Evidence from handed down products
Although there are few handed down pieces of Chiang Kai-shek porcelain during the Republic of China, there are still some, and the sources are relatively reliable. The main ones with more accurate sources include:
1. Chiang Kai-shek's "imperial" Wanhua porcelain tableware collected by the Nanjing Museum.
2. Porcelain plates and cups with the word "Chiang" collected by the Lushan Museum in Jiangxi Province.
3. The Jingdezhen Ceramics Museum has a vase with a landscape painting inlaid with gold and pastel on a black ground and marked "Zhongzheng in the 36th year of the Republic of China".
4. Amphora bottles, flat bottles, etc. are stored in the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall in Taipei, Taiwan.
5. Wedding porcelain presented to the British Crown Prince Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth II) in the name of Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Meiling. A complete set of 175 pieces was sent to London in the names of Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Meiling, and marked as produced by the Jingdezhen Royal Kiln Factory. Only 12 soup plates, 12 combination plates and 12 dessert plates remain, which are kept in the weekend pantry of the British Museum, Windsor Palace.
In addition, it is said that the Jiangxi Provincial Museum has a bat-eared goblet barrel bottle (with broken ears), and the Jingdezhen Museum has a double-eared shield-type bottle and a bat-eared goblet barrel bottle.
(3) Documentary materials as evidence
1. On July 25, 1946, the Shanghai "Republic of China Times" published on the front page a press release issued by the Central News Agency from Guling, containing "Jingdezhen The old imperial kiln will be converted into a state-owned porcelain kiln. This was the instruction given by Chairman Chiang when he met with Wang Fan, the principal of Shengzhong School. The Chairman was very concerned about the current situation of Jingdezhen porcelain industry and said that the country was enjoying victory and famous porcelain should be distributed to the allies. The porcelain must be made in the style of the Qianlong period, and the color must be elegant. Chairman Jiang also ordered President Wang to contact the Jiangxi Provincial Government as soon as possible to actively carry out the work." The school was called Shengzhong School, but later Wang Fan recalled that the newspaper mistakenly wrote it).
This document proves that in July 1946, Chiang Kai-shek spent the summer in Lushan, Jiangxi Province. In order to commemorate the victory of World War II, he needed to make a batch of fine gift porcelain for foreign friends. For this purpose, he summoned Wang Fan, the then principal of the Jiangxi Provincial Ceramics School.
2. Archive records (source to be checked), in July 1946, the Jiangxi Provincial Department of Construction put forward specific opinions on the style, decoration and firing of porcelain, "the style of famous porcelain in the Song and Qing Dynasties should be copied, with solemnity Gorgeousness can symbolize China's long-standing culture and represent the principle of commemorating victory. The manufacturing method should be: separate porcelain bodies and centralized painting (that is, the required porcelain bodies are separately produced by various directors of ceramic schools and private porcelain factories, and good selection is required. The kiln is responsible for the firing; the painting is concentrated on painting by famous painters hired by the association)"
3. Regarding the historical archives of the inscription of "Chiang Porcelain", it is stated that "Six months after the (3) paragraph is fully allocated, It will be completed by the end of August of the 36th year of the Republic of China. (See attached picture)
4. In 1947, the Ceramics School undertook the second batch of firing tasks for national ceremony porcelain. This included giving Western food utensils to Marshall, a former U.S. envoy to China and then U.S. Secretary of State. To this end, the Jiangxi Provincial Construction Department generated power in Fuliang twice, and the message on March 11th read, "We plan to present porcelain for General Marshall's Western dishes as a gift to the Chairman. Please choose a good worker and customize it separately. No need to write any words." The telegram on March 26 read: "The head of state donated 15.57 million yuan to Ma Shuai's porcelain. The Department of Finance will remit it from the provincial bank on the 20th of this month. Please check the telegram."
5. Wang Fan’s handwritten work and material estimate for the porcelain ordered by Yu Jishi, which contains “The six styles of porcelain ordered by Director Yu are exactly the same as Chairman Chiang’s.” (See attached picture)
6. On November 16, 1947, Princess Elizabeth wrote back to Soong Meiling, "I like their pattern design very much. In addition, these porcelains are of such high quality that I am afraid only China can produce them."
3. The main characteristics of Chiang Kai-shek’s porcelain in the Republic of China
Judging from some of the uncontroversial Chiang Kai-shek porcelain that currently exists and combined with documentary materials, Chiang Kai-shek’s love for porcelain is no less than that of the previous dynasty. The emperor's porcelain includes two major categories, one is ordinary daily life porcelain and display porcelain, and the other is birthday celebration porcelain and government protocol porcelain. Wang Fan mentioned in his article on the conference in "Travel to Lushan" that Wang Lingji, then chairman of the Jiangxi Provincial Government, said that "the chairman likes porcelain, especially colored glazes." Judging from the handed down products, Chiang Kai-shek's porcelain is indeed mostly colored glazed porcelain, especially during the Qianlong period. The flowers are not exposed, and the workmanship is fine, the materials are exquisite, the patterns are exquisite, and the painting level is high (according to the Jiangxi Provincial Construction Department's inspection of porcelain in July 1946 Specific opinions on style, decoration and firing can be reflected (all of which are done by hiring famous painters to focus on painting), which can be summarized as "less but better". This also confirms what Wang Fan asked when he met with Chiang Kai-shek about why Jingdezhen porcelain is made. Hershey's answer is "As long as you don't care about the cost or time, you can reach the top."
The following is a few specific examples of Chiang Kai-shek porcelain, so that everyone can have an intuitive understanding of Chiang Kai-shek porcelain during the Republic of China.
1. Gold and pastel painted landscape vase on black ground with consecrated landscape painting
Collection of Jingdezhen Ceramics Museum, 32 cm high, 11.6 cm in diameter, 13.6 cm in foot diameter. The body of the vessel is covered with dense rolling decoration, the mouth edge is decorated with a golden Ruyi cloud head pattern, and the neck is decorated with a deformed banana leaf pattern. The lines are delicate, smooth and powerful. The shoulders are decorated with two sets of curling branches, flowers and bat patterns, which are full-bodied and lifelike. The abdomen is opened, with freely curling branches and wishful lines on the outside. The outer foot wall has a golden curved pattern with smooth and soft lines. The interior of the consecration is painted with pastel landscape and pastoral patterns, with detailed outlines, clear layers of close-up and distant mountains, and rich colors, in the style of Zhang Zhitang. The shoulders and neck are symmetrically decorated with Ruyi ears, and below is the embossed "swastika" Pisces Ruyi Necklace pattern, which means good luck for ten thousand years. White glaze was applied in other places, and the seal script inscription "Zhongzheng in the 36th year of the Republic of China" was painted in red. There is a red single frame outside the word "Zhongzheng". The whole vessel is elegant and simple, with superb decoration skills. Judging from the shape of the vessel, it should be the goblet vase that Wang Fan and others recalled, and it is also the carved sand vase recorded in the literature (Wang Fan's handwritten calligraphy by Yu Jishi mentioned the estimate of porcelain labor and materials. and, custom-made for 5.5 million yuan), basically represented the highest level of traditional porcelain production at that time, and was worthy of the title of national gift porcelain.
2. Pastel gold two dragons playing with beads porcelain plate
It was a wedding gift porcelain given to Princess Elizabeth of the United Kingdom in the name of Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Meiling. On the inner edge of the plate are two golden dragons playing with pearls in the clouds, painted in gold on the turquoise ground. The outer edge of the dragon is painted in red with a square pattern of ten thousand characters, and the inner edge is painted with a peach-shaped continuous pattern. The inner edge of the plate is painted with the word "囍" in red color, and there are five bats around it. It means "long life and good fortune" and "five blessings come to your door".
After the painting was finalized, it was heavily painted with pastels, and decorated with gold edging and dragon beards, feet, eyes, armor and legs. After being fired and rubbed with agate, the golden light shines gracefully and luxuriously. The outer bottom is inscribed in red with the inscription "Presented by Chiang Kai-shek, Chiang Kai-shek, and Soong Meiling in commemoration of the wedding of Princess Elizabeth, Crown Prince of the United Kingdom."
3. Pastel Gold Ground Wanhua Cup
It is the "Meilu" porcelain collected by Jiangxi Lushan Museum and is used for daily use. The outer wall to the bottom is decorated with pink paintings of peonies, chrysanthemums and other flowers on a solid gold ground. The inner gold and red double circle has the word "Jiang" written in red, and the bottom is written in red with the inscription "Produced by A10 Huachang Company". The whole vessel is exquisitely made, exquisitely painted, and elegant.
4. Pastel Baihua brocade consecrated elephant-ear vase
The straight mouth of the vase is slightly outward, with shoulders slipping, a round belly that is closed down, and a circle foot. The neck is symmetrically sculpted with two elephant ears. The inner wall of the vase is glazed with turquoise, and the outer wall is covered with brocade ground. The mouth is decorated with a red pattern and a deformed Ruyi head pattern. The belly is decorated with pastel flowers. There are circular consecrations on both sides of the belly, and the inside is decorated with pink flowers. Painted figures and courtyard decorations, with an ink inscription on one side, "Mr. Qing Ningxin, bestowed upon the public in January of the 29th year of the Republic of China. Presented by Fang Daying, principal of Fuliang County Ceramics Vocational School." On the other side, an ink inscription reads, "Mountains are high and the moon is high." The water is long, and we come back to Red Cliff with wine to point out the singing and dancing places. The river is no longer the same as in autumn. Lin Ruisheng painted the red color book "Fuliang County Pottery School" on the turquoise ground. Knowledge. This vase is designated as Chiang Kai-shek porcelain. Due to the words "Jie Gong" and "Jie Gong" in the title, "Gong" was an old honorific title. For example, Chen Brai, who was known as Chiang Kai-shek's literary genius, once called Chiang "Jie Gong". "Zi" is the honorific title given to the superior in the old days, and "Bi Cun" is a respectful address to the elder to accept it.
Note: This article mainly refers to "Porcelain Appraisal of the Republic of China" (Hualing Publishing House, edited by Tieyuan and Ximing). Some of the text and pictures are quoted from the book, and are hereby noted. Due to the hurried writing, the data collection and research are relatively rough. Some of the documents and materials in the article need to be further verified for their original sources. The handed down items can be further inspected and verified on site. At the same time, we continue to pay attention to the collection of Chiang Kai-shek porcelain handed down.