碗 · Bowl with Old Pine and Poem

A grand, aged pine is carved into the body of this bowl. The inscription on the reverse side explains the tree’s presence. It is an altered version of two lines from a poem by Li Jiao (646?–715?) called “Pine.” Li Jiao was a senior government official who had a tumultuous career under the reign of Wu Zetian (r. 690–705), as well as those of her sons and grandson during the Tang dynasty (618–907). Although little known today, his work was read in Japan during the Heian (794–1185) and Kamakura periods (1185–1333). An anthology containing his poems, which was lost in China, was passed down across the generations in Japan. The translation of the inscription is as follows (the original characters, written and read from right to left, are shown below from left to right):

The crane nests in the mastwood tree, the wind flicks at its peaceful branches. 鶴樹君子風拂太平枝

The mastwood is a pine-like evergreen, and the crane sheltering there is protected from the wind. In the original poem, the characters before “branches” (枝) are rather 大夫, meaning “high official.” This is likely a reference to the title bestowed upon a pine tree by the emperor Qin Shi Huang (r. 221–210 BCE) in thanks for its protection when a fierce rain fell as he ascended Mount Tai to pay his obeisance to the heavens.