Chinese Tableware (or not?)

[liuzhou]

 

When I was a kid, my father’s great-aunt was still alive and about once every couple of months or so we would be required to get on our finery, adopt our best behaviour and pay an official visit. She was a true relic of the Victorian era and lived stubbornly alone in what I was certain was actually a museum, rather than a domicile.

 

The sitting room where we were received by her majesty and treated to afternoon tea with cucumber sandwiches and buttery scones (not together) was littered with bric-a-brac of all sorts. Some were fascinating, some scary. I particularly remember being intrigued by what I think were clams shells containing miniature replicas of famous buildings of the world – Rome’s Colosseum, the Eiffel Tower, St. Paul’s Cathedral etc.

 

And, of course, there was a dresser full of highly decorative plates and serving dishes, including several examples of Willow Pattern.

 

This, I was told, was what everyone in China ate from. (I remember being confused as to what they ate from these plates, because I was simultaneously being lectured on not wasting food and eating the more nasty things for dinner because the starving Chinese would lap them up.)

 

Also, my great-great aunt would tell us the ancient Chinese story behind the design.

 

Quote

Once there was a wealthy Mandarin, who had a beautiful daughter (Koong-se). She had fallen in love with her father’s humble accounting assistant (Chang), angering her father. (It was inappropriate for them to marry due to their difference in social class.) He dismissed the young man and built a high fence around his house to keep the lovers apart. The Mandarin was planning for his daughter to marry a powerful Duke. The Duke arrived by boat to claim his bride, bearing a box of jewels as a gift. The wedding was to take place on the day the blossom fell from the willow tree.

 

On the eve of the daughter’s wedding to the Duke, the young accountant, disguised as a servant, slipped into the palace unnoticed. As the lovers escaped with the jewels, the alarm was raised. They ran over a bridge, chased by the Mandarin, whip in hand. They eventually escaped on the Duke’s ship to the safety of a secluded island, where they lived happily for years. But one day, the Duke learned of their refuge. Hungry for revenge, he sent soldiers, who captured the lovers and put them to death. The gods, moved by their plight, transformed the lovers into a pair of doves.

 

Sadly. years later, but long before I ever came to China, I learned the truth.

 

Chinese Willow Pattern ain’t Chinese, at all. It was invented in the late 18th century in England, probably in the famous Spode pottery works. Back then chinoiserie was a huge fad, prompted by Queen Victoria's husband Albert. It is unknown in China.

 

And the story? Yes, English, too. It, too,  is unknown in China.

 

If you want genuine Willow Pattern, go home. There is none here

 

P.S. If you are interested in Chinese pottery which is from China, then I recommend a trip to the town of Jingdezhen (景德镇 - jǐng dé zhèn) in Jiangxi Province. The town is famous for its 1,700 year old porcelain industry. There are dozens, if not more, workshops where you can watch the craftsmen and women at work.  And, of course, buy the results of their labours. Be careful. Some prices are astronomical, but there is also plenty of choice in lower price brackets.

 

I’m not particularly interested in porcelain, but I found the place fascinating. On the edge of town there is a large pottery workshop operating as a living museum, where they only produce their wares by the ancient, traditional methods. I spent hours in there watching the artists patiently and carefully decorating and carving. And yes, I did buy some.

 

 

There is more information on Jingdezhen porcelain and the different types here.

 

 

Edited October 16 by liuzhou (log)

[SusieQ]

3 hours ago, liuzhou said:

 

When I was a kid, my father’s great-aunt was still alive and about once every couple of months or so we would be required to get on our finery, adopt our best behaviour, and pay an official visit. She was a true relic of the Victorian era and lived stubbornly alone in what I was certain was actually a museum, rather than a domicile.

 

The sitting room where we were received by her majesty and treated to afternoon tea with cucumber sandwiches and buttery scones (not together) was littered with bric-a-brac of all sorts. Some were fascinating, some scary. I particularly remember being intrigued by what I think were clams shells containing miniature replicas of famous buildings of the world – Rome’s Colosseum, the Eiffel Tower, St. Paul’s Cathedral etc.

 

And, of course, there was a dresser full of highly decorative plates and serving dishes, including several examples of Willow Pattern.

 

This, I was told, was what everyone in China ate from. (I remember being confused as to what they ate from these plates, because I was simultaneously being lectured on not wasting food and eating the more nasty things for dinner because the starving Chinese would lap them up.)

 

Also, my great-great aunt would tell us the ancient Chinese story behind the design.

 

Sadly. years later, but long before I ever came to China, I learned the truth.

 

Chinese Willow Pattern ain’t Chinese, at all. It was invented in the late 18th century in England, probably in the famous Spode pottery works. Back then chinoiserie was a huge fad, prompted by Queen Victoria's husband Albert. It is unknown in China.

 

And the story? Yes, English, too. It, too,  is unknown in China.

 

If you want genuine Willow Pattern, go home. There is none here.

P.S. If you are interested in Chinese pottery which is from China, then I recommend a trip to the town of Jingdezhen (景德镇 - jǐng dé zhèn) in Jiangxi Province. The town is famous for its 1,700 year old porcelain industry. There are dozens, if not more, workshops where you can watch the craftsmen and women at work.  And, of course, buy the results of their labours. Be careful. Some prices are astronomical, but there is also plenty of choice in lower price brackets.

 

I’m not particularly interested in porcelain, but I found the place fascinating. On the edge of town there is a large pottery workshop operating as a living museum, where they only produce their wares by the ancient, traditional methods. I spent hours in there watching the artists patiently and carefully decorating and carving. And yes, I did buy some.

 

 

There is more information on Jingdezhen porcelain and the different types here.

 

 

Thank you, Liuzhou, for this Willow story. I love history and find it especially fascinating how things go from one culture to another, anthropologically speaking.

 

I'm not particularly interested in pottery, either, except for Rosenthal pre-WWII German porcelain, but seeing your photo of the young woman hand-painting such an intricate pattern reminded me of how much I admire the skills of those who do such work. 

As an aside, I can just about see you as a child in your great-great aunt's sitting room, your description is that evocative. I bet the cucumber sandwiches and butter scones were delicious. 

[liuzhou]

Here are a couple of my Jingdezhen tableware items.

 

My favourite noodle / soup bowl.

 

Dip / condiment bowls

 

 

[SusieQ]

6 minutes ago, liuzhou said:

Here are a couple of my Jingdezhen tableware items.

 

My favourite noodle / soup bowl.

 

Dip / condiment bowls

 

 

 

 

Beautiful. 

 

[haresfur]

I didn't know about the Willow Pattern. Thanks.

 

The way Chinese porcelain moved around the world along with its stories and how it inspired spin-offs like the Delft and Staffordshire tin-glazed earthenware is fascinating to me. I'm not a huge fan of the really busy, multi-colour stuff but the skill is certainly impressive. Then again, to my mind, Chinese pottery peaked in the Song Dynasty, which inspired my username.

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

On 10/12/2023 at 10:57 PM, liuzhou said:

 

When I was a kid, my father’s great-aunt was still alive and about once every couple of months or so we would be required to get on our finery, adopt our best behaviour, and pay an official visit. She was a true relic of the Victorian era and lived stubbornly alone in what I was certain was actually a museum, rather than a domicile.

 

The sitting room where we were received by her majesty and treated to afternoon tea with cucumber sandwiches and buttery scones (not together) was littered with bric-a-brac of all sorts. Some were fascinating, some scary. I particularly remember being intrigued by what I think were clams shells containing miniature replicas of famous buildings of the world – Rome’s Colosseum, the Eiffel Tower, St. Paul’s Cathedral etc.

 

And, of course, there was a dresser full of highly decorative plates and serving dishes, including several examples of Willow Pattern.

 

This, I was told, was what everyone in China ate from. (I remember being confused as to what they ate from these plates, because I was simultaneously being lectured on not wasting food and eating the more nasty things for dinner because the starving Chinese would lap them up.)

 

Also, my great-great aunt would tell us the ancient Chinese story behind the design.

 

Sadly. years later, but long before I ever came to China, I learned the truth.

 

Chinese Willow Pattern ain’t Chinese, at all. It was invented in the late 18th century in England, probably in the famous Spode pottery works. Back then chinoiserie was a huge fad, prompted by Queen Victoria's husband Albert. It is unknown in China.

 

And the story? Yes, English, too. It, too,  is unknown in China.

 

If you want genuine Willow Pattern, go home. There is none here

 

P.S. If you are interested in Chinese pottery which is from China, then I recommend a trip to the town of Jingdezhen (景德镇 - jǐng dé zhèn) in Jiangxi Province. The town is famous for its 1,700 year old porcelain industry. There are dozens, if not more, workshops where you can watch the craftsmen and women at work.  And, of course, buy the results of their labours. Be careful. Some prices are astronomical, but there is also plenty of choice in lower price brackets.

 

I’m not particularly interested in porcelain, but I found the place fascinating. On the edge of town there is a large pottery workshop operating as a living museum, where they only produce their wares by the ancient, traditional methods. I spent hours in there watching the artists patiently and carefully decorating and carving. And yes, I did buy some.

 

 

There is more information on Jingdezhen porcelain and the different types here.

 

 

 

Before COVID my granddaughter visited Jingdezhen.  She was favorably impressed.  I'm not sure she brought any pieces home though.

 

[liuzhou]

Here are a few snapshot scans of predigital photos taken in Jingdezhen in 1998. Sorry about the quality but they are almost prehistoric! They may have been taken with my Ming Dynasty camera.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It may not look like it but they all contain porcelain used in culinary affairs.

 

 

 

[liuzhou]

As the discerning classes are aware, no table is fit for dining from lest it be properly dressed. Not overdone and garish as a peacock display, but elegantly sophisticated. Such decorum related features should, of course, not merely be appendages to the decoration of the table but must, of course, include suitable devices such as chopstick rests to make avail of during pauses in the guests' consumption in order that they may devote their full attention to their interlocutors.

 

Such essential implements may include such as the following. These should be decided on to match the culinary delights which the servants have prepared.

 

 

 

 

On occasion, one may provide high class trivia for the use of the juvenile family members, who will of course not be at main dining table, but served separately in the nursery or in the servants' dining area, whatever that is.

 

 

These should not, of course be provided to the adult guests for fear it may lead them to question the provenance of the 'venison'.

 

'Sleeping dog' rests are sold by irreputable vendors but should not be used in any civilised home. Be sure to give clear instructions to the butler and house-keeper regarding this matter. The virtuous and noble only ever eat dog with spoons; silver of course.

 

 

Edited July 5 by liuzhou (log)