Large Tea Caddy with Interlocking Precious Lotus Flowers, Blessing and Longevity
This large tea caddy is collaboratively crafted by a group of renowned masters, including Xu Zhijun — Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritor of Qing Dynasty Official Kiln Famille Rose (Jingdezhen hand-painted porcelain craftsmanship), and Zhang Jian — Master of Overglaze Color and Gold-piling Craftsmanship.
It is decorated with multiple techniques: enamel painting, iron red coloring and gold piling, and requires
four separate kiln firings to complete.
The patterns include interlocking branch motifs, precious lotus flowers, lantern patterns and more. In traditional Chinese art,
every pattern bears a meaning, and every meaning carries auspiciousness. The decoration is exquisitely detailed, with gentle and elegant hues that achieve perfect beauty.
Precious Lotus Flower (Baoxiang Flower)
The term “Baoxiang” comes from Buddhism, originally a respectful title for the dignified countenance of the Buddha.
The Precious Lotus Flower is an ideal floral motif that symbolizes purity, grace and elegance.
It does not refer to a single real flower, but a highly refined artistic design, synthesized and refined from elements of the lotus, peony, pomegranate and other blossoms.
The pattern originated and flourished in the Tang Dynasty, inheriting the Tang aesthetic of admiring fullness and national artistic character.
In the Song Dynasty, it shifted from a luxurious style to a more orderly and simple one. The interlocking Precious Lotus Flower pattern also appeared in this period, with stronger rhythmic dynamism.
Interlocking Branch Pattern
The exterior is painted with enamel interlocking branch patterns, with clear leaf veins, gracefully curled branches and leaves full of vivid dynamism.
Its continuous, unbroken structure symbolizes
endless vitality.
Lantern Pattern
The lantern pattern is a festive decorative motif.
Hanging lanterns is a tradition to pray for family prosperity and the arrival of children.
Lanterns are hung during Chinese festivals and joyous occasions, with the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month.
In some dialects, the word for “lantern” sounds the same as “male offspring”.
Thus, “lighting lanterns” implies “adding sons to the family”.
In some regions, people believe that women walking under lanterns may be blessed with many children.
The lantern pattern gained popularity in the Ming and Qing dynasties.
The interlocking branch pattern originated roughly in the Han Dynasty and prevailed in the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.
Enamel Painted Porcelain
Apart from its intricate and delicate painting, this large tea caddy requires four firings to complete, with risks in each firing.
In the Qing Dynasty, enamel porcelain was originally made exclusively for the appreciation of emperors and empresses.
Enamel pigments are special artificially fired coloring materials.
Before the 6th year of the Yongzheng reign (1728), they had to be imported from Europe.
After 1728, the Imperial Workshop of the Qing Court was able to independently refine more than 20 kinds of enamel pigments, marking the peak of ancient Chinese polychrome porcelain craftsmanship.
