Zun, Wine Vessel

A Chinese bamboo vessel, archaic style wine vessel called zun, with a ram head in relief, one each side, and carved with scrolling flowers, 8 3/4” high x 7 1/2” wide, Qing dynasty; zun has a wide mouth and flat bottom.

The ram, sheep or goat (yang) is one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. The sheep (yang) has the same pronunciation and therefore symolizes the male principle yang in Yin Yang and also the ‘sun’. Sheep kneel when they nurse which to Confucians symbolizes ‘filial piety’ as bowing to the mother.

Bamboo is revered as a symbol of long life, constancy and fidelity. Bamboo (bambuse arundinacea) is the most difficult wood to carve. It is as hard as horn, although it is hollow and segmented. It is lustrous and it ranges in hue from lemon to black, with warm tones in cherry red, tortoise shell, and mahogany, as well as variegated hues. This bamboo zun style vessel is based upon bronze vessels with two rams heads.

Lot 80: An archaistic carved bamboo hu vase, 18th century. Christie’s London, South Kensington Sale 5811, Chinese Ceramics, Works of Art & Textiles. May 15, 2009. Lot 3760: A carved archaistic bamboo-root vessel, zun Qing dynasty, Qianlong period. Sotheby’s Hong Kong Sale HK0591, Important Chinese Art. October 7, 2015. British Museum 1118.1