A Study of Daoist Immortal Mao Nü : Ming Dynasty Zhangzhou Ware Plate with a Hermit in the collection of the Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka

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  • 毛女図像の研究 : 大阪市立東洋陶磁美術館蔵《五彩仙人図盤》を題材に
  • モウジョ　ズゾウ　ノ　ケンキュウ　オオサカシリツ　トウヨウ　トウジ　ビジュツカン　ゾウ　ゴサイ　センニン　ズバン　ヲ　ダイザイ　ニ

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Abstract

Daoist immortals are one of the most popular and auspicious iconographies in Asian Art, and this paper focuses on one specific human figure painted on a Swatow (Zhangzhou) ware plate from the Ming dynasty, now in the collection of the Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka. A barefoot immortal with a deer, holding a cane and carrying a basket with a parasol above her head is depicted in the center of the piece. This paper attempts to show that the figure is the Daoist Immortal Mao Nü, who once served at the palace of Emperor Qin Shi Huang in the third century BC. After the fall of the dynasty, she took refuge in the mountains, attaining an ethereal lightness of body by eating only pine needles and becoming immune to cold and hunger. Images of Mao Nü are found in Chinese art until Ming dynasty (1368-1644), then suddenly lost its popularity during the Qing dynasty (1644-1912). This paper proposes the main reason for this change as being closely related to foot-binding. As paintings depicting female feet became inappropriate during the Qing dynasty, the showing of “feet” essential for recognizing Mao Nü meant that depictions of her suddenly became unpopular and eventually disappeared in Chinese art.

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