Luoyang Tangyi Museum of Gold and Silver Artifacts Recreates a Gilt Floral and Bird Pattern Silver Bowl

Period of affiliation Tang

Original artifact unearthed: 1970 Unearthed from the Hejiacun Vault in Xi'an, year [year not specified]

Original item currently on display: Shaanxi History Museum

Reproduction weight: 151g

Reproduction size: Bowl mouth diameter 99x High 38

Flared mouth, Ring foot The base and abdominal wall are relatively straight. The surface is decorated with flat chiseled patterns, the motifs gilded throughout, and the entire piece features a fish-belly-patterned ground. There is a cloud-shaped petal design of the "treasure flower" motif on both the center of the bowl and the bottom of the foot. ； The inner abdominal wall is adorned with four large flowers featuring broad leaves and folded branches, set against a backdrop of flowing clouds. ； Between the intertwined floral and foliage motifs on the outer abdominal wall Chisel Carve four mandarin ducks, wild geese, and birds of prey, each with its own unique pose. ( to, toward, to the point of ) Birds and parrots—among them, the motif of a soaring bird with its head held high is particularly rare. Mandarin ducks, with their bushy crests and flapping wings. ； Wild goose ， Looking back, walking casually. ； The bird of prey has a slightly robust build, with sharply pointed ears and an appearance as if it’s about to sprint. ; Parrot form Small and nimble, it flaps its wings and leaps into the air.

At During the Tang Dynasty, parrots frequently appeared alongside motifs of mandarin ducks and wild geese, symbolizing marital bliss, wisdom, and good fortune. The accompanying plant motifs—such as grapes and broken-branch flowers—symbolize abundant offspring, blessings, prosperity, and flourishing growth. At Tang In traditional culture, parrots are regarded as auspicious birds that can foretell peace and prosperity in the world, symbolizing good fortune. 、 Meaning of auspiciousness 。

The mandarin duck, the wild goose, and the parrot are all among the most representative flying bird motifs of the Tang Dynasty. Their depictions persisted throughout the entire Tang period; however, images of birds of prey on gold and silver artifacts are relatively rare. The bird of prey is a type of eagle, and people of the Tang Dynasty greatly admired its majestic spirit of soaring and striking down its prey. Consequently, whether in paintings or poetry, portrayals of these birds of prey are abundant. For instance, Du Fu, in his poem “Yang Jian Again Presents Twelve Screens Depicting Eagles,” wrote: :“ Recently, Feng Shaozheng has become skilled at painting fierce birds. ” Among Tang poems, the most outstanding work depicting birds of prey is Liu Zongyuan’s “Tang Nao Ge Gu Chui Qu.” :“ A bird of prey stands tall, its wings spread wide. Its hooked beak plunges forward, its powerful talons poised at the side. It flies in fury, its hungry cries echoing through the air—its swift, darting movements utterly unstoppable. ”

The poetic depiction precisely matches the image of the bird of prey depicted on the silver bowl. Moreover, Tang Dynasty people also enjoyed keeping birds of prey as falcons for hunting, a practice that is reflected in Tang poetry—for instance, Liu Yuxi specifically composed a poem titled “Ode to Raising Birds of Prey.” :“ Raising birds of prey is no mere pastime for amusement; their strength lies in their ability to strike down fresh prey. Yet young men, unaware of this truth, feed them ceaselessly day after day. They snare fledglings with nets aimed at their yellow beaks, and morning and evening they’re always well-fed. Little do they realize that when the time comes to release them from the cage, their wings will grow so heavy they’ll be unable to fly. The fine fur clings to the treetops, while cunning rabbits dart freely north and south. Once their bellies are filled and their thirst quenched, how could they possibly still bother to flap their wings? ” Precisely because people of the Tang Dynasty favored birds of prey, it was only natural that images of such birds began appearing on gold and silver artifacts.