COLLECTION NAME:
National Palace English
Record
Work ID:
M010A0032
Title:
Instone inscribed "Guan-xiang"
Creation Date:
Tang Dynasty
Start Year Date:
A.D.618
End Year Date:
A.D.907
Dynasty:
36 Tang Dynasty (A.D. 618~907)
Creation Place:
China
Measurements:
Diameter: 15.3 cm; Thickness: 2.8 cm
Material:
Duan stone
Form:
Yan (ink-stone)
Type:
Studio accessories
Repository:
The National Palace Museum, Taipei
Description:
The ink-slab is made of duan stone and imitates the shape of the Eight Diagrams. The left and right sides have sculpted decoration of the face of a beast and a fastening knob. The left knob is broken off. The three sinks situated on the upper part are water holders for moistening brushes. Each is 0.4 cm deep. A channel is dug on the surrounding of the inkstone, and the shallow depression in the middle is the ink-face where ink is ground. On the upper part of the inkstone, two li-shu (square style) characters are incised, "Guan" and "Xian" (which means observing the stars). On the rim of the upper part, there are two chased li-shu (square style) characters, "Tang" and "Xian" (Inkstone from Tang period). The ink-slab back has a depression of 0.6cm depth, and on the surrounding is a chased palindrome inscription in yauqiti, a writing style dated back to Liang Dynasty. The palindrome writes, "Solid and majestic, the most beautiful of all." The middle is carved with four characters, "An object for amusement of Qianlong." The upper right side has faint traces of pre-chin bronze coin decoration.
ImageV ID:
M010A0032AS001
Rights:
Lee & Lee Communications