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Gold exhibition showcases artistic excellence
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WITH the Spring Festival drawing near, the season for gold accessories is upon us. The tradition of wearing glittering accessories during their Chinese Zodiac year is popular with people in all walks of life. It is believed to bring good luck and fortune.
In ancient times, gold accessories were a big thing. Gold and silver have been highly valued by craftsmen due to their high economic value and fine malleability. In ancient times, the royal court and high-class family bought the metals that reflected their social status and wealth.
An abundance of glistening gold and silver antiques have been unearthed across Zhejiang Province over the past years. Now, an ongoing exhibition at the Gushan Pavilion of Zhejiang Museum is displaying antique hairpins, necklaces, earrings and bracelets.
The exhibition runs until February 12. Some of the pieces are being displayed to the public for the first time.
The exhibition mainly showcases gold accessories of the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), when Hangzhou was the capital.
Gold was more popular than previous dynasties because the then royal court permitted private mining and free trade. The once-unreachable gold finally became available to the common people.
At that time, parents would invite goldsmiths home to make a batch of products to be given as dowry for their daughter. Among them, the hairpins were the most sought after. Flowers and phoenix were the common patterns engraved on the surfaces.
The Southern Song-style accessories featured smoother lines, more floral designs, thinner texture and new hexagon, octagon and chrysanthemum shapes.
These changes were attributed to the popularity of neo-Confucianism, which admired classical and graceful styles and abandoned extravagant designs. The hairpins excavated from Taihuyuan Town of Lin’an County epitomize the classic Southern Song ornaments.
In addition, peach blossom, bee, lychee, butterfly, lotus, peacock, turtle, melon and vine also appeared a lot on the accessories. These patterns symbolized harmony and auspiciousness, and were gorgeously embossed on the artifacts.
For example, the vine-and-melon pattern signified the booming offspring of a family, as the vines sprawled everywhere and bore melons. Such accessories carried people’s hope for children.
Turtle crawling on a lotus leaf was also a popular design. Turtle is synonymous with longevity in Chinese culture, while lotus symbolized elegance and purity. This pattern was usually embossed on accessories to offer birthday congratulations.
A specific pattern named manchijiao (满池娇) that had lotus, mandarin ducks and sagittaria in a pond was exclusive to noble class in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368).
However, in the following dynasties, ordinary people used this pattern in daily utensils.
According to archives, Hangzhou was dotted with workshops in the Southern Song Dynasty. And the competition among craftsmen was fierce, which forced them to create boutiques, new techniques and varieties.
Gold was hammered thinner and thinner, which saved materials and made the accessories convenient for wearing. Craftsmen used mold to emboss patterns on gold works.
Welding technique was also popular at that time, which was used in producing bracelets and rings. Many bracelets that are displayed were unearthed from Dongyang, Jiande and Changxing counties and used welding technique.
Xiapei (霞帔) was a new type of accessory that was popular in Southern Song. They featured various patterns and shapes and were widely used by common people. It was also used for weddings.
The highlight of the exhibition is a gold xiapei embossed with manchijiao. It was excavated from Huxi Town of Dongyang County. A symmetry floral pattern was in the center, and was flanked by two mandarin ducks sitting on lotus.
Craftsmen would sculpture their name, shop brand and address on the bottom of vessels. Historians say it reflects the high point of gold-making industry in Southern Song.
Craftsmen also started to create vintage styles by imitating the style of bronze vessels in the Shang (c.16th century-11th century) and Zhou (c.11th century-221 BC) dynasties. Buddha began to appear as Buddhism made inroads during the Southern Song period.
Indian mythical creature totem also spread with Buddhism. The Capricornus was a hybrid of a goat and a fish in Indian mythology. In China, it was integrated with characteristics of dragon and other Chinese mythical creatures, which replaced the Indian version. The pattern was widely used in architectures, ceramics and gold accessories.
Date: Through February 12 (closed on Mondays)
Address: Gushan Pavilion, Zhejiang Museum, 138 Nanshan Rd
Admission: Free
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