The Relationship Between T Ang Ying and Imperial Kilns of the Yung-Cheng and Ch Ien-Lung

The Relationship Between T’ang Ying and Imperial Kilns of the Yung-Cheng and Ch’ien-Lung Time Period - Taking the Painting and Manufacture of Fa-Lang Porcelain as an Example

YüP’ei-chin

National Palace Museum

Antiquities Department

Abstract

This article attempts to investigate the painting and production of Imperial colored enamel (fa-lang) porcelain of the Yung-Cheng and Ch’ien-lung reigns from the perspective of the relationship between man and things. In 1726, Nien Hsi-yao assumed the office of superintendent at the official Imperial factory. Starting at this time, the inner court gradually assumed leadership over the manufacture of porcelain, including production methods used at these Imperial kilns. Also, during the Yung-Cheng period, the Imperial court took a deep interest in the painting and creation of fa-lang porcelain. From a comparison with the Archives of the Imperial Workship(or Huo-chi-tang活計檔) and other documents, the majority of fa-lang porcelain was completed in the Imperial palace, not in Ching-te-chen (Jingdezhen). At the same time, taking the leadership of the Imperial court as a background, Emperor Yung-Cheng and Prince Yün-Hsiang were also responsible for instituting changes. One result of this phenomenon is that the supervisory official, Nien Hsi-yao, and his assistant, T’ang Ying, did not have the chance to supervise the painting and final manufacturing process of fa-lang wares.

This situation began to change during the reign of Emperor Ch’ien-lung, especially with respect to observation over the designs on decorative patterns on fa-lang wares. In addition to developing an understanding of the development, evolution, and spread of these patterns from their origin in the palace, it should be possible to examine whether fa-lang-type wares during the time of the Ch’ien-lung Emperor had any connection to the official kilns at Jingdezhen. Although Ch’ing palace artisans and producers at Jingdezhen produced wares with different names, Fa-Lang wares and yang-ts’ai wares respectively, when the Ch’ien-Lung Emperor systematically arranged his collection, he gave them the same level of treatment. He also knew that these new designs on decorative patterns were a new technique from the Ch’ien-lung period. At the same time this new style arose, it became popular starting in 1726 to write poems and paint on these works. Also, there was also a stylistic movement towards stressing the design elements in them. More important is T’ang Ying’s supervision over the decorative patterns. This can help us to once again consider the deeper meanings of “The Memorial of Achievement in Porcelain” and “Thoughts on Yang-ts’ai Wares”.

Keywords: T’ang Ying, Nien Hsi-yao, colored enamel, “Thoughts on Yang-ts’ai Wares,”“The Memorial of Achievement in Porcelain”