China, 19th century, - Lot 29

China, 19th century, Commissioned bowl, made of white porcelain, with underglaze blue decoration depicting the battle of the Eight Immortals against demons from the Western Sea. Rare apocryphal mark on the reverse: Wudi Yuanfeng of the Han Dynasty (110–105 BCE) Firing defect on the reverse. Firing crack on the rim (invisible to the naked eye). Diam. 19 cm The battle of the Eight Immortals and the son of the Dragon King on the Eastern Sea, painted on the bowl (cat.), is a popular subject in Yuan Dynasty opera, as well as in the Ming Dynasty novel Journey to the East by Wu Yuantai. As they prepare to depart after a visit to the enchanted island of Penglai, home of the Queen Mother of the West Xiwangmu, the Immortals decide against using a boat. Instead, they each transform their talismans into a means of transportation, thereby demonstrating their extraordinary magical abilities. This unconventional method provokes the wrath of the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea, who mobilizes his forces to confront them. During the conflict, Lan Caihe, one of the Immortals, is captured, but the other seven manage to hold their ground and eventually kill the Dragon King’s son. The confrontation intensifies when the Dragon King calls upon his counterparts from the Western, Southern, and Northern Seas for reinforcements. As the dragons unleash tumultuous waves, Cao Guojiu manages to push back the waters using his jade tablet. Finally, the intervention of the Bodhisattva Guanyin brings the conflict to a resolution, reconciling the warring parties and securing Lan Caihe’s release. After recounting this legendary episode, my grandfather drew our attention to the delicacy of the illustrations, particularly highlighting the depiction of the demons. Such a design rightly suggests that this is a celebration of Taoism. By turning the bowl over, one can discover the mark 大漢元封年製, meaning “Made during the Yuanfeng era of the Han dynasty.” The Yuanfeng era (110–105 BCE) corresponds to the sixth era name during the reign of Emperor Han Wudi. This choice, deliberately made by the patron, is not intended to date the bowl to this period or to mislead collectors. In fact, neither porcelain nor the Eight Immortals—the appearance of this Taoist theme dates back to the Tang or Song dynasties—were present during the Yuanfeng era. This mark therefore reflects a carefully considered intention on the part of the patron. The reign of Emperor Han Wudi (141–87 BCE) is considered one of the golden ages of Chinese civilization. Han Wudi himself is frequently celebrated as one of the three most eminent rulers in Chinese history, alongside Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty and Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty. Before his accession to the throne, the Han Dynasty relied on the Taoist principles of Wu wei, meaning “non-action” or “non-intervention.” Although this approach may have encouraged peaceful governance, it also contributed to a weakening of central political authority, paving the way for internal uprisings and threats of invasion at the borders. Faced with this state of disorder and guided by the recommendations of Dong Zhongshu, the young Wudi undertook major reforms that would redefine the political and cultural foundations of his empire. He established Confucianism not only as the official state philosophy but also as the moral framework structuring imperial society. This system emphasized strict hierarchical principles, establishing the supremacy of the sovereign over his subjects, of the father over his son, and of the husband over his wife. Through his reorganization of the government and his policies aimed at consolidating a strong, centralized state, he laid the foundations for a lasting legacy for imperial China while exerting significant influence on surrounding civilizations. Thus, this mark allowed my grandfather, Dương Minh Thới, to evoke the history of China during the reign of Emperor Han Wudi, while addressing the three “religions” (Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism). He concluded that this design depicting the Battle of the Immortals should not be interpreted as a glorification of Taoism, but rather as a critique of “non-action” and the chaos that reigned before Emperor Wudi established Confucianism as the central foundation of Chinese governance—a policy that led to the golden age of Chinese civilization. Provenance: - former collection of Duong Minh Thoi, Saigon - former collection of Truong Khac Huê, Paris - by descent to Alain and Philippe Truong,