A Lonquan celadon tripod incense burner, Song - Yuan dynasty | 宋至元 龍泉青釉萬字紋繩耳三足爐

A Japanese private collection.

The present incense burner is a fine example of Longquan celadon production during the late Song to Yuan dynasty, characterised by its robust form and luminous, thick sea-green glaze. The tripod shape with upright loop handles derives from archaic bronze ding vessels, reflecting the enduring antiquarian taste of the period. What distinguishes this censer is the crisp, raised band of continuous wan (swastika) fretwork encircling the exterior. The wan symbol, an ancient motif closely associated with Buddhism, represents 'ten thousand' or eternity, thereby conferring wishes of boundless longevity and auspiciousness.

While Longquan censers of this classic form are well known, examples featuring this specific moulded wan fret band are exceptionally rare. A closely related Longquan celadon censer of similar proportions and decorative arrangement, but featuring a band of interlocking coins instead of the wan fret, was recovered from the famous Sinan shipwreck (c. 1323) and is now housed in the National Museum of Korea, Seoul (accession no. Sinan20582). 

來源

日本私人收藏

爐鼎式，口沿平出，形製端莊，釉色瑩潤如玉，展現南宋晚期至元代龍泉窰青瓷的卓越工藝。其雙耳三足的造型源自商周青銅「鼎」，迎合了當時文人雅士的慕古之風。此件香爐最為引人注目之處，在於腹部裝飾了一圈模印清晰的連續「卍」字紋。「卍」字佛教吉祥標誌，寓意「萬」或永恆，寄託了萬壽無疆與福澤綿長之美好願景。

此類經典造型的龍泉窰香爐雖時有可見，但飾有此種特定「卍」字紋飾帶者卻極為罕見。參考韓國國立中央博物館收藏一件著名的韓國新安沉船（約1323年）出土之龍泉窰青瓷香爐（館藏編號：Sinan20582），其器形比例及裝飾佈局與本品極為相似，惟其腹部飾以錢幣紋而非「卍」字紋。