Bronze Antiquarianism Meets Celestial Blessings: Decoding the $1.38 Million Yongzheng Blue-and-White Zun
青銅古意與仙人納福：解碼價值1380萬的雍正青花尊
A Star at Poly Auction’s 20th Anniversary
保利拍賣二十週年慶典夜場的焦點
The 2025 Poly Auction 20th-Anniversary Gala witnessed a historic moment when a Yongzheng-period blue-and-white “Immortals Bestowing Blessings” zun (尊, ritual vessel) hammered at RMB 13.8 million ($1.38 million). This masterpiece, blending Han-dynasty bronze aesthetics with Taoist iconography, has reignited scholarly interest in underappreciated “celestial themes” of Qing imperial porcelain.
2025年保利拍賣二十週年慶典夜場上，一件「清雍正 青花仙人納福尊」以1380萬元落槌，震撼全場。這件融合漢代青銅器古韻與道教仙題的重器，讓藏界重新審視清代宮廷瓷器中長期被低估的「仙佛題材」價值。
Imperial Nostalgia: A Bronze Revival in Porcelain
慕古情懷：青銅器在瓷器中的轉生
At first glance, this 22.3cm-tall zun echoes the rounded belly and tapered mouth of Han-dynasty bronze hu vessels (壺). Emperor Yongzheng (r. 1723–1735) was renowned for his archaistic tastes, commissioning the Imperial Kiln to replicate artifacts from Shang bronzes to Song ceramics. The Palace Museum houses an identical-shaped zun in monochrome glaze, confirming systematic antiquarianism at the Imperial Workshops.
這件高22.3公分的尊，其斂口鼓腹的輪廓神似漢代銅壺。雍正帝素有「慕古之癖」，曾命御窯廠大量仿製商周青銅至宋元瓷器。故宮博物院藏有一件器型雷同的雍正仿漢銅尊，佐證了造辦處對三代彝器的系統性摹古。
What sets this piece apart is its cobalt-blue decoration. The glaze exhibits a violet-tinged hue, hallmark of premium Zhejiang cobalt (浙料) standardized after Tang Ying became kiln supervisor in 1728. The body’s fine-grained clay and jade-like gloss align with Yongzheng-era technical zenith.
此尊的特殊性在於其青花裝飾。釉面呈現藍中泛紫的色階，屬雍正六年（1728年）唐英督陶後推廣的「上等浙料」特徵，胎骨堅緻瑩潤，彰顯雍正官窯的工藝巔峰。
Four Immortals: A Visual Symphony of Taoist Symbolism
蓬頭四仙：道教意象的視覺交響
The zun’s central motif—“Four Disheveled Immortals” (蓬頭四仙)—depicts Li Tieguai, Liu Hai, Hanshan, and Shide amid grotto rocks, clouds, and lotus scrolls. Their unkempt hair (a Taoist trope rejecting worldly vanity) and interactive poses create dynamic narrative tension.
主題紋飾「蓬頭四仙圖」繪鐵拐李、劉海、寒山、拾得四位仙人，背景輔以洞石祥雲與纏枝蓮紋。仙人披髮跣足的造型（道教「破除形執」的視覺符號）與彼此呼應的姿態，構成戲劇性張力。
Technical brilliance shines in:
工藝亮點包括：
- “Fenshui” washes (分水皴): 7–8 cobalt gradients mimic ink-painting textures, notably in rocks’ light-shadow contrast.
- Lingzhi bamboo-rock panels at the mouth embody longevity tropes.
- Swastika bands (卍字紋) on shoulders symbolize infinite blessings, while coin patterns at the foot advocate discreet wealth.
- 「分水皴」技法：青花濃淡多達七八階，洞石暈染堪比水墨。
- 口沿的靈芝竹石圖暗喻長生。
- 肩部卍字紋取「萬福」諧音，足部金錢紋則寓意「財不露白」。
A Kiln’s Swan Song: The An Kiln Connection
窯業秘史：安窯的最後榮光
This zun harbors a political backstory. Most Yongzheng wares avoid immortals—yet this piece adapts Kangxi-era birthday motifs from An Kiln (安窯), a private kiln established in 1720 by salt merchant An Shangyi for Emperor Kangxi’s 70th birthday.
此尊暗藏宮廷鬥爭線索。雍正御瓷極少見仙人題材，但其紋飾實改編自康熙晚期安窯的祝壽瓷稿本。安窯係鹽商安尚義於康熙五十九年（1720年）為籌備康熙七旬萬壽貢瓷而設。
The horizontal six-character mark in regular script (楷書橫款) is rare for Yongzheng but matches two Palace Museum pieces from his early reign—hinting at An Kiln artisans’ brief continuity post-1723. By 1725, An Kiln closed due to imperial suspicion, giving way to Nian Xiyao’s “Nian Kiln”. Thus, this zun is a transitional relic: Kangxi-style decor bearing Yongzheng’s mark, like a rebranded tribute.
單圈六字三行楷書橫款在雍正官窯中極為罕見，卻與故宮藏另兩件雍正初年作品一致，暗示安窯工匠在雍正登基後短暫留用。至雍正四年（1726年）年希堯接管窯務，安窯遂成歷史。此尊正是風格過渡的見證：紋飾猶存康熙遺風，底款卻篆雍正年號，宛如一件「改款未改胎」的賀禮。
Collecting Insights: Why This Zun Matters
收藏啟示：此尊的價值核心
- Rarity: Few Yongzheng “immortal” wares exist; most were destroyed for political correctness.
- Hybrid Craftsmanship: Bronze form + literati painting + Taoist narrative = cultural syncretism.
- Provenance: An Kiln’s 5-year operation makes its output collectible milestones.
- 稀缺性：雍正仙題瓷多因「政治不正確」被毀，存世極少。
- 工藝融合：青銅器型+文人畫意+道教敘事=文化共生的典範。
- 窯口背景：安窯僅存續五年，其作品具斷代標本意義。
Final Thought
結語
More than a vessel, this zun is a conversation between dynasties—where Han bronze met Qing porcelain, and imperial politics danced with folk beliefs. For collectors, it’s a 3D textbook of China’s artistic evolution.
此尊實為一場跨朝代的對話：漢代青銅與清代瓷藝共鳴，宮廷權謀與民間信仰交織。對藏家而言，它無疑是一部立體的中國工藝演進史。
