THE T.T TSUI GALLERY: INTRODUCTION TO LIFE IN CHINA
Ruling in China
A Unique Being
Illustration showing the back of a winter court robe worn by the Emperor. Museum no. 820-1896 (click image for larger version)
The emperor of China was the source of all power. Although statesmen and administrators supported the emperor in governing the country, he was at the head of the hierarchy, the highest authority in the land. There was no possibility of challenging imperial power, short of overthrowing the dynasty. In this respect China differed from Islamic or Christian states. For example, the popes of medieval Europe argued with the rulers about who was the most important.
The Chinese term for the emperor of China was 'Son of Heaven', and he was considered to be the sole link between heaven and earth. The emperor's unique status was emphasised in many ways: he used a special word for 'I' which nobody else was allowed to utter, he wrote in red ink while his courtiers used black, he alone faced the south while his subjects faced north and knelt down low before him. For the most part, the emperor led a secluded life and did not often leave the Forbidden City, the palace complex in the centre of Peking. The emperor's unequalled position and his large and complex bureaucracy were the two most important means by which it was possible to maintain power over such a large territory.
A particular shade of yellow was reserved for the clothes of members of the imperial family and only the emperor himself was permitted to display a set of twelve ancient and rather puzzling motifs on his robes. The twelve imperial symbols were the sun, moon, stars, mountains, dragon, pheasant, the fu pattern, axe, two sacrificial cups were representations of monkeys and tigers, water weed, fire and grain. They are often small and hard to pick out. The clothes the emperor wore were laid down by law. Pictures of his formal outfits, along with other imperial regalia, were set out in a guide. This guide even includes six different raincoats and sou'westers.
Throne, 1775-80. Musuem no. W.399-1922 (click image for larger version)
A throne of emperor Qianlong (pronounced Chien Loong), who ruled from 1736 to 1795, is decorated in carved lacquer in warm red colours. The animals, plants and scenes depicted in the detailed carving have symbolic meanings. Many dragons, traditionally associated with emperors, are to be seen on the throne. Bats are a pun on the word for 'happiness' and the small round motifs are peaches, the fruit of long life. Read in combination, the symbols may be interpreted as wishing the emperor a long and happy life.
On the back of the throne there is a special combination of motifs linked together with a chain and flowers. Suspended below a bat is a jade musical chime. In Chinese the word for chime sounds the same as the word for 'good fortune'. Hanging below this are two fish, which signify prosperity and abundance. The whole rebus means 'good fortune and abundance of riches'. Finally, as you face the throne you look directly at a picture of an elephant with figures in a landscape. This has been decoded as meaning 'auguries of great peace' or 'peace reigns in the North'.
Thrones did not have the same significance in Chinese culture as in European; they had no ceremonial importance and were simply an appropriately grand piece of furniture for an imperial palace. This throne would originally have been furnished with cushions. It is possible that it was a birthday gift or it may have been commissioned when a palace in the Southern Park, ten miles south of Peking, was refurbished in 1777.
A Performer of Ceremony
Stand for a wine cup, 960-1126. Museum no. FE.1-1970 (click image for larger version)
As the Son of Heaven, an emperor had to spend much of his time carrying out solemn ceremonies though vital for the well-being of the empire. These rituals took place at various sites in the capital and included the worship of elements in the universe, the gods of soil and grain, the emperor's ancestors, the philosopher Confucius, and the Patron of Agriculture. During the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), there were ninety such occasions each year. Although they were not public spectacles, these rituals inspired awe among the emperor's subjects, who believed that their correct observance would ensure peace and prosperity and avert disasters. The emperor and his court were required to fast before each ceremony, which consisted of set prayers, music, stately dancing, the burning of incense, the offering of food and drink to the spirits and, at the most important, the sacrificial slaughter of animals.
Vessels, 1736-1820. Museum nos. C.17-1968, C.483-1910, C.526-1910, FE.99,100-1970 (click image for larger version)
The four porcelain containers from the Qing dynasty were used to offer food and wine to the powers of Heaven, Earth, the Sun and the Moon at the temples dedicated to each in Peking. The vessels are in the appropriate colour for the different powers: red for the Sun, yellow for Earth, light blue for the Moon and dark blue for Heaven. The emperor wore robes of state that matched the colours of the containers.
A Patron and Consumer
The emperors of China used artists and crafts workers to supply the court with luxury goods for their palaces. Silk furnishing fabrics, porcelain vases and jade ornaments were ordered from different parts of the empire.