Objects of Desire

Research log on my chosen 'object of desire' and podcast for the Oriental Museum! Navigation: please click on headings to see the posts on greater detail, if you would like to look at something specific, click on the menu and try typing it into the search bar.

[debbiecobjectsofdesire]

‘Studies have made it clear that ‘things’ in the broadest sense, have a performative and integrative capacity which enables what we call society to come into being, and to continue to go on being itself. We see the study of material culture as part of a concern with praxis, social practice and objects themselves as one set of actors in a combination of space/place/things/action/people which performs being, which draws from history, which is open to changes, and through which the trajectory of individual and collective lives are created’. 

(Pearce, 2000)

[debbiecobjectsofdesire]

Further Work

I would have liked to spend more time discussing the worth, perceptions and meanings of jade. However, since I was unable to access the object to determine whether it was in fact ‘true jade’ I instead decided to focus on its place within the wider Chinese carving tradition.

It was also remarkably interesting to think that the coloured eyes of the lion could have been related to a ritual to give it power. My online sources were very meagre for this and in the end, I felt like I didn’t know enough about it to include it in the final podcast.

The dating of the object was a big issue for me. Whilst I believe that this opinion has been supported by several sources, it also required a big leap of faith to use it in my final project. I still feel like I could have spent even more time on doing this but in the available time I had and limited use of sources I feel like it was a small accomplishment. Seeking expert opinions on this would have been a helpful tool to validate my research and may have provided further avenues for study.

[debbiecobjectsofdesire]

Bibliography

Primary sources: 

British Museum. London: England. Available online from:

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/galleries/chinese-jade

Christies Auction House. London: England. Available online from:

https://www.christies.com/lotfinder/searchresults.aspx?sc_lang=en&lid=1&action=search&searchfrom=header&entry=oriental%20art

Lyon and Turnbull Auction House. Edinburgh: Scotland. Available online from:

https://www.lyonandturnbull.com

Museum of East Asian Art. Bath: England. Available online from: https://meaa.org.uk/ 

Museum für Asiatische Kunst. Berlin: Germany. Available online from:

https://www.smb.museum/en/museums-institutions/museum-fuer-asiatische

kunst/home.html

Oriental Museum. Durham: England Available online from: https://www.dur.ac.uk/oriental.museum/

The Musee Guimet. Paris: France. Available online from:

https://www.guimet.fr/collections/chine/

Sotherbys Auction House. New York: USA. Available online from: https://www.sothebys.com/

Secondary Literature:  

Bhabha, H.K. (2004) The Location of Culture. London: Routledge.  

Bourdieu, P. (1979) Symbolic power. Critique of Anthropology. Available online from: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0308275x7900401307?journalCode=coaa [Accessed on 12th March 2020]

Chʻên, K.K.S. (1964) Buddhism In China: A Historical Survey. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Curley M. A. (2016) Material Culture and Asian Religions: Text, Image, Object, Material Religion.  DOI: 10.1080/17432200.2015.1120081 [Accessed on 13th April 2020]

De Waal, E. (2011) The Hare with Amber Eyes: A Hidden Inheritance. London: Vintage. 

Hardinge, C. (1961) Jade: Fact and Fable. London: Pub. for the Gulbenkian Museum, School of Oriental Studies Univ. of Durham, by Luzac & Co. 

Hulsbosch, M. Bedford, E. and Chaiklin, M. eds. (2009). Asian Material Culture (Vol. 4). Amsterdam University Press

Pierson, S. (ed.) (2000) Collecting Chinese Art: Interpretation and Display: [colloquy] held June 28th - 30th, 1999. London: Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art. 

Pissin, A. (2009). Elites and Their Children: A Study in The Historical Anthropology of Medieval China, 500-1000 AD (Doctoral dissertation, Faculty of Humanities, Leiden University). Available from: https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/bitstream/handle/1887/13968/Children%20in%20medieval%20China.AnnikaPissin.pdf?sequence=1

Porter, D. (1999). Chinoiserie and the Aesthetics of Illegitimacy. Studies in Eighteenth-Century Culture, 28(1).

Potvin, J. and Myzelev, A. (eds.) (2009) Material Cultures, 1740-1920: The Meanings and Pleasures of Collecting. Farnham: Ashgate.

Rawson, J. (ed.) (1992) The British Museum Book of Chinese Art. London: Published for the Trustees of the British Museum by British Museum Press.

Said, E.W. (2003) Orientalism. London: Penguin.

Tan. G. (2017) New York Times: Style Magazine, Singapore. Published online on 21st March 2017: Available From: https://tsingapore.com/article/choo-yilin-new-age-traditional-jadejewellery

Thorp, R. L. and Vinograd, R. (2001) Chinese Art & Culture: Robert L. Thorp, Richard Ellis Vinograd. New York: Harry N. Abrams.

Tregear, M. (1980) Chinese Art. London: Thames & Hudson.

Watson, W. (1973) The Genius of China: Exhibition Guide. Times Newspapers Lt: London.

Zhu, R.  Zhang, B. Liu, F. Cai, C. Wang. C (2006).  A Social History of Medieval China Cambridge University Press.  Available from:  2016https://books.google.co.uk/books=40elDQAAQBAJ&pg=PA266&lpg=PA266&dq=infant+mortality+rate+in+the+song+period&source=bl&ots=XSmpqJMt&sig=ACfU3U2qNJAtNcf_FoHdPXNstRtNvIJdGA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi6x7bD7IXpAhULAcAKHe9nA_EQ6AEwEHoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=infant%20mortality%20rate%20in%20the%20song%20period&f=false [Accessed on 24th March 2020]

  Videos:

YouTube. (2017). Filmora9 tutorial. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sURH2CxmaXQ [Accessed 17th April 2020]

YouTube. (2019). Happy Song Dynasty Music. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqOoK_VCY_I [Accessed 4th April 2020]

YouTube. (2011). Chinese Civilization HQ: Jade Sculptures. Available from:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCNMUO5aQPU [Accessed 24th March 2020]

Youtube. (2017). Episode 1: Jade Carving 第一集：玉雕. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnLPncEIbiw [Accessed 24th March 2020]

Youtube. (2017). Authenticating Chinese Art Ancient and Archaic Nephrite Jade Carvings. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxMgkJAZwec [Accessed 24th March 2020]

[debbiecobjectsofdesire]

Reflections

Due to current COVID_19 restrictions, my project has been severely affected due to lack of available resources and the temporary closure of the museum. This has meant that I was unable to access the object in order to film it, or the university library.

However, my aim was to tell the story of this lion and I think that I managed to achieve that. I felt by the end of the project that I had brought the lion to life again. I loved trying to track its journey and spent a long time looking through historical records to try and add meat onto the bare bones of information I had, whether it be a date or a place. As such, my research log is a tad wordy, however, I wanted to do the lion’s story justice.

When you look at old objects your mind tends to place them straight back in the time when they were first created, i.e., ‘this object is from the Song Dynasty’, but that is only the beginning! I found it fascinating to think that this jade could have perhaps been lost forever if the HMS Amethyst had been sunk or about the numerous hands it had been passed between. One of my favourite parts of the project was the reconstruction I did on the day the jade was bought in London. It really brought that time alive for me, even down to historical records of the weather forecast and photographs. I also tried to relate information back to modern times, to make it more accessible, such as calculating the inflation on Sir Charles purchases. One Hundred pounds does not initially sound a lot of money to anyone other than historians.

Placing the object within the Song Dynasty, allowed me to provide greater historical context and overall a more well-rounded journey of the lion.

The thing I most regret is not booking in earlier to video my lion. Reaching the end of my project without taking it out of the case and holding it is strangely sad. Perhaps when the museum is back open, I will ask Rachel if I can come and look at it so I can get my closure. I am also interested to see whether my active imagination regarding what its like to hold, is in fact correct.

Overall, I am happy with my project, giving the available time and sources available to me. 

[debbiecobjectsofdesire]

Here is my final podcast video, enjoy! 

[debbiecobjectsofdesire]

Video Reflections

The podcast video has been a labour of love, but I am finished (mostly), apart from some final proofing which I am going to do over the weekend. Not having any original footage has been a massive issue and the photos I had of the lion come across as quite low resolution on the finished MP4 version. Nevertheless, the extra time I spent gathering footage last month was helpful. It is a very time-consuming process. To keep the video engaging, I have used quite a number of different frames giving it more of a documentary feel. It took a lot longer, but I feel like it was worth it. Below is a photo of my video in its raw form, to give an idea of the number of various components which went into making the final product. 

The video creator app I used also charges you to download your videos without a watermark on, so I would recommend using a different programme.

[debbiecobjectsofdesire]

Choosing a content creator

I have downloaded a video creator app onto my computer called ‘Filmora9’ and watched a 20-minute tutorial video to help me figure out how to use it.

[debbiecobjectsofdesire]

Storyboarding

A major issue is my lack of original video footage of the object and museum. This was because it was shut 2 days before filming due to the COVID_19 virus.  However, we shall overcome. Instead, I am going to try to do a bit of technical wizardry with the photos of the lion instead, so my video does not resemble a slide show. I have also started to collect a computer file full of stock footage which I may be able to use to make my video a little more interesting. It will also be including a couple of frames of original footage shot in the comfort of my own home, in which I will substitute the object for something of similar size.

My story board currently has 14 frames. It is a very rough drawing complete with stick men and illegible writing, but I feel like this craziness and doodling is part of my creative process. 

[debbiecobjectsofdesire]

Choosing Music for my Podcast

I am going to incorporate the drumming of the lion dance into my video alongside a piece of traditional music from the Song Dynasty. When I first heard this song it automatically made me think of the lions little cheeky face and I could imagine children laughing and dancing around to this song. I think it captures elements of its personality brilliantly. Its music that was made to make you smile, just like the lion made me smile.

Owing to my lack of knowledge in Chinese music, I started my search on YouTube using the search terms, ‘Chinese Music’ and ‘Song Dynasty Music’. I found my perfect video soundtrack during the latter search. I have also chosen a more contemplative and meditative classical song to use in relation to the lion’s religious context and have downloaded ‘It’s a long way to Tipperary’ to use in the post-war segment.

[debbiecobjectsofdesire]

Audio Footage: All the Gear and No Idea!

Tonight, I finally managed to record my audio footage. I had to wait up until midnight to ensure a quiet house under lock down conditions.

It is a lot harder than I initially thought it would be, it took me over a full day of test runs. I have quite a strong regional accent, so I was very conscious that it may not be audible. As such, I spoke slower to make sure I pronounced my words properly. The issue is now my audio is more than eight minutes long again, so I have had to crop even more from it.

I also realised that I am unable to pronounce the word ‘trajectory’ properly whilst under pressure, try as I might, eventually giving up and replacing it in the script with ‘parabolic curve’. The way I say ‘living’ also sounds like ‘loving’ on playback, so that also took a few attempts. Anyway, I have had a bit of a nightmare but at least it’s done, and the pain was worth it because I think it sounds pretty good! Also, I discovered taking sips of a warm drink in between segments is better than water to help your voice.

Here is a picture of my little set-up last night on one of my many practices and the amazing microphone I managed to acquire. My printed-out script with the numerous crossing outs is on the right-hand side. 

[debbiecobjectsofdesire]

Podcast Script

I finally have a script for my podcast! Eight minutes felt like a long time to talk until I practised it for the first time and had about 30 minutes of material written down. I had to chop a lot out of my original script. I have also realised that long sentences are no good when you are trying to say them out loud. As such, it has been re-written several times. I have borrowed a microphone from one of my friends, so I am hoping to try and get the audio recorded over the next few weeks. I also have a lot of other summative work to do and now a child at home 24/7 thanks to lock-down so the next phase may be slower progress.

[debbiecobjectsofdesire]

The Object Today

Questions: Does the object’s current place and display in the museum reflect its story accurately? How does its current display effect modern receptions? Should the object be given back to China?

The Oriental Museum, then called The Gulbenkian Museum of Oriental Art and Archaeology, opened in its current home during May 1960. Durham was already a well-established and thriving University. This image shows a photograph of Durham in 1959, the same year the Lion came to the City.

Sometime between 1959 and now, the object was unwrapped and discovered by a member of the museum staff, again a new chapter began for the lion. It began its new life and meaning as an object of display. Post-modern engagement with oriental objects has undergone a massive transition during this time. Said’s, theories on the role of Orientalism (1978) in Western representations of ‘The East’ was a major catalyst for this change within academic circles. However, as with other post-modern theories such as feminism, society is sometimes a bit slower to engage with change. Up until recently feminism was still viewed in terms of 1970’s activism. My first visit to the museum also highlighted how much orientalism has penetrated Western culture. I too was guilty of classifying Eastern cultures as oriental without much of a thought, it was comfortable. With the museum being located in Durham, its need to engage with a Western audience who understand the initial concept of ‘oriental’ as a grouping, explains to me why the museum still identifies in this way.. Whilst in one way the Oriental Museum still conforms to these Western stereotypes by classifying cultures from North Africa, Asia, Egypt, India under the banner of ‘Oriental’. They also confront this term directly by deconstructing its connotations and origins of its use on their website, ‘The Orient, is not an area with defined geographical boundaries. The term can mean widely differing things to different people’.  

The interior of the museum, however, sets the record straight. The more I considered the placement of the lion in relation to its story, the more I understood the role of a curator. Visiting the museum is like peeling an onion…bear with me I am going somewhere with this! Each object and exhibition facilitate different levels of engagement from visitors, depending on how many layers you want to peel off. On my first visit, I had bounced from one shiny and engaging display case to the next. Each exhibition had some sort of a ‘wow factor’ which piqued my interest in the topic or culture, and I left the museum feeling slightly more cultured and satisfied by all the beautiful things I had seen. This first level of engagement sees the objects as grouped by culture, easy to understand categories and themes. After I had spent a few months looking back at the photos. I went back and began to look past the glitz, really seeing the objects. I started to ask questions about them, started to deconstruct the descriptions, talked to the staff. The information is there for those who want to have a closer look and also for those who just fancy a pleasant afternoon out.

Having now spent six months researching this object, I now understand that its placement is purposeful and carefully considered in order to help to begin to tell its story for those who want to keep peeling the layers off to reach the core or essence of the object. I had noted the quietness of the ground floor on my first visit and had lounged on one of the couches positioned around the room. This contemplative atmosphere compliments the objects spiritual significance. It is a place of quiet meditation which pays homage to the Chinese Taoist ethos. It combines this philosophy with Buddhist statues and the simplicity of its display conveys Confucian ideals of order whilst recognising the object as part of a wider tradition.

Whilst the museum’s vitrines cannot be opened, it is framed as an object which was made to be touched. It achieves this by tantalising the viewer through distance by suspending the object on a glass shelf. The self-contained world in which it now belongs is full of other un-princely objects and its contribution is to add a little wit into the museums own WunderKammer. Perhaps a nod to another significant part of the journey of Chinese artefacts many of which have made their way through the hands of Western collectors.

This leads me onto my last issue to address and perhaps the most delicate one. Should the object be returned to China? This question has been raised in relation to many Western museums and collectors over the last few years in accordance with the belief that the West have appropriated artefacts from across the globe and misrepresented or fetishized them. Many artefacts have also been taken without consent as part of colonial activity (such as the Elgin Marbles).

Before answering this question, I have carefully considered the story of my object at each stage. Whilst I understand the desire for such important pieces of Chinas heritage to be returned to its place of origin so they can be admired in their own cultural context, I believe that the rightful place of the object is in its current home.

The object was not initially made to be kept; it was made to be given. Artists make a living from letting things go and that was always the intention of the artist from its conception. It was bought from the artist for the purpose of giving it away again, perhaps to a child as a gift. Over the years it has been traded, bartered, bought, sold and given away like many other objects from around the world. What makes this object so special is its longevity, journey, and the story it has to tell. Part of that story is its time in Durham, the people it comes into contact with every day at the museum, and for some, like me it becomes a part of their story. Whilst the object can no longer be played with, carried around or stroked, its changed status as an ‘antique’, something which must be protected, is also a new part of its journey, it has a different kind of worth now. The transient quality of life, its life, is part of what it symbolises in the very surface of the stone. Maybe one day it will move on, perhaps it will even find itself on the 5000-mile journey back to China and if it does it will have a few new stories to tell.

[debbiecobjectsofdesire]

The Antique Market for Chinese Exports - Post-War London

The lion’s documented journey begins with its acquisition, along with several others, on the 5th December 1949 from Williams Antique Shop, London. It was purchased by one of the museum’s biggest contributors, Sir Charles Edmund Hardinge. The museum has the original logbook which Sir Charles meticulously kept, to track his collection; the lion was purchased for £9.50 (nine pounds and ten shillings), quite a considerable sum at the time. It is known that Sir Charles began his collection of Chinese art and artefacts after suffering an injury, possibly during active combat in the first World War. Antique shops were a daily escape from his rehabilitation routine, and he amassed a substantial collection during this time. He donated a large proportion of his collection to the Durham University Oriental Museum when, due to illness, he was forced to retire to a care home.  

 Questions: What draws collectors to Chinese objects? How do collectors choose which objects to collect? Is there anything significant about the period in which the jade was bought in terms of Chinese exports?

 Collectors as people have always fascinated me. What motivates them? Are they answering the call of some sort of higher power or does it just provide them with pleasure to gaze upon their full vitrines creating some sort of exotic escape route out of the quotidian? Collecting also appears to be an eternal labour of love, only ending, like Sir Charles, with ill health or death. Only then is a collection finished and often passed on, so why did he give such an immensely valuable collection to the museum rather than family members? Many of these questions I am sure only Sir Charles could answer for me, but I am going to try to investigate at least some of them. I have used historical records to try and reconstruct the story of Sir Charles and the lion. 

It was a cold Monday in December when Sir Charles left his house and made his way to one of his regular haunts Williams Antique Shop. After receiving an injury during active service in World War One, he was meant to exercise regularly by taking long walks but had taken to escaping into nearby antique shops where he would sit for hours a day drinking cups of tea with the owner and discussing collections. This is how he had started as a collector of Asian artefacts and years later what, in 1917 had started as a small act of defiance against being made to exercise, at 71 years of age was now a regular part of his weekly routine. 1949 was quite a mild Winter, mostly dry with temperatures of around 6.4oc, the mild weather and lack of rain may have been a deciding factor for Sir Charles to head out as he pulled on his Winter coat and stepped out into the streets of London. Today, however, he had purpose, he was going to expand his collection with a substantial purchase of jades, worth nearly £100 (£3665.18 in today’s money). A huge amount of money considering Britain was still in economic crisis: it had only been in the April of this year, four years after the war had finished that the lights had finally been turned back on in London and war time rationing legislation was slowly beginning to be relaxed. 

Whilst Britain was sluggishly recovering and rebuilding in these post war years, China was in the midst of civil war. The defeat of Japan in World War Two had reignited tensions between the two main parties in China, the People’s Republic and the Communist Party. This tension had incorporated two of the world’s largest superpowers of the time, America and Russia; known as the Cold War period. To halt the spread of communism in the East, the United States had joined forces with the Republican army whilst the Soviets supported the communist movement, in one of many proxy wars which characterises this conflict. 1949 was also the year that the NATO agreement was signed between North America and Europe, a pact of mutual protection against communist powers.

The UK had not been left unscathed in the Chinese conflict; a British navy ship the HMS Amethyst had been severely damaged by communist forces in China. Its triumphant return into Britain on 1st November 1949 was still fresh in the mind of Sir Charles who had read about it in his morning newspaper only a month earlier. As a collector however, this new accessibility to the East through allied forces and the ‘roaring forties’ great circle route which linked Britain, China, Australia and the USA in a complex economic chain (Blainey 1966) had significantly increased the amount of new Chinese exports now flooding into Britain. It’s entirely possible that an opportunistic member of the HMS Amethyst crew which had docked in Plymouth the month before had bought a number of jades and other small Chinese artefacts which were easy to carry from allied Chinese provinces in order to make a profit back on British soil. Supporting this theory is the vast amount of purchases Sir Charles made during the month of December 1949. This may have however, just been coincidence.

Although Rachel Barclay had informed me during our meeting that Williams Antique’s no longer existed (I think to try and save me a bit of research time/heartache). I searched through old company records to try and get an idea of the area of London that Sir Charles frequented since available biographical information suggests that the shops were in walking distance from his house. I found a Williams Antique Shop on the Leeds University antique dealership directory. It was active in the 1940’s and specialised in ‘Early Japanese and Chinese works of art and antiques’ from 1928, the interwar period when Sir Charles began to collect. The location of this antique shop was in Shepherds Bush Market. Searching through archived photos from the area, shows the area described as ‘a pleasant little old-fashioned district of lanes, paved ways and shops’, the perfect place to get lost in for the day when you are trying to avoid your nurse! 

From the first time you encounter an object you begin to tell a story, becoming part of its story. On the day that Sir Charles and the lion first met each other, he may have walked through these streets on a winter’s day, excited about making yet another purchase for his beloved collection. The lion’s journey had already seen it being exchanged through numerous owners from its creation c. 600 - 900 years prior. It had now travelled nearly 5000 miles, through numerous ports, surviving sea journeys and possibly war on its way to London. Sir Charles perhaps spent a full day at this shop, smoking pipes (a favoured vice of the 1940’s) and drinking cups of tea whilst he examined each new purchase individually, possibly updating his logbook in the shop over a cup of tea whilst HE discussed each piece with the owner. De Waal describes the log as ‘recording their love affair, their own secret history of touch’. On the 5th December 1949, the lion became a part of Sir Charles love affair.

The lion spent 10 years in the care of Sir Charles Hardinge. De Waal believes objects add something to a collector’s way of living. Vitrines, become part of the performance of collections, suspending the objects, framing them, creating a Wunderkammer (trans: world of things or chamber of wonders), made for digressive conversation, for distraction. The connection to everyday life, albeit exotic everyday life, providing escapism. Unlike museum glass cases, vitrines can be opened. Objects which were designed to be touched make collections highly sensual. Western collectors appreciate this quality in Asian artefacts, many also convey witty themes, they make you smile.  

There are, however, many critiques of such collections. Western art critics took an instant dislike to Asian forms of art in the 18th and 19th Centuries, vilifying the aesthetic qualities as a sign of complete cultural degradation. The resulting chinoiserie trend has been accused of stripping prevailing images of Chinese culture of their aura of dignity in the name of exotic charm. Porter (1999), believes that there was no substance to such a vision and indeed no desire for substance; the entire movement was a rejection of the very principle of substantiality.  Collectors such as Sir Charles have been accused of transforming symbols of awe-inspiring cultural achievement into a motley collection of exotic ornamental motifs.

At the age of 81, no longer able to fully care for himself, Sir Charles collection was still one of his primary concerns. Rachel told me that the museum had received very last-minute orders in 1959 to go and collect Sir Charles’ anthology which included over 2000 jade carvings including the Lion. The museum was due to open its doors in 1960, so the donation came at a very welcome time. Apparently, the sheer volume of the collection posed staff with a real storage issue. Most of the objects from the collection are still in storage and not on display. Sir Charles died in 1968 at the age of 90.

[debbiecobjectsofdesire]

Childhood in Medieval China

Questions: How were children thought of during the Song Dynasty? Was gender a major factor in upbringing and care? What were the primary fears in relation to child rearing which a child may require protection from?

 ‘Don’t complain your family is not thriving, for the son who makes it thriving is not yet born; don’t boast your family has not declined, for the son who makes it decline has not yet grown up’, (Yuan Cai)

 A proverb from the Song Dynasty encapsulating parents hopes and fears in relation to childrearing in a time when infant mortality rate was exceptionally high. 

By examining the children of the royal family during the Song period, there were 181 children in total and 82 died young (Zengyu, 1984). This would put the infant mortality rate as high as 48.6 percent. These were also elite children who had access to resources. Therefore, the population’s true mortality rate could have been more comparable to that of Ancient Rome where over 50% of children died before they were five years (ref). In relation to today’s figures this would place both societies as having a higher death rate than that of most modern third-world countries, with the current infant mortality rate of under 5’s in Africa being 38% (Unicef, 2000-2018). 

Children are often overlooked in history since they have no economic or political power. They do not write their own history. What we know about childhood is often either from the perspective of the parents or a retrospective analysis. Much literature that survives was also from elite, educated, social backgrounds. However, since this object was also an expensive gift in its own time, it is likely that it belonged to a member of the upper classes, making available literature relevant in this instance. 

Childrearing is a major concern in all societies since the socialisation of children replicates a society’s values and norms. The continuation of a population also relies on the successful rearing of the next generation. Lee (1984), claims that interest in children’s welfare and education had declined in China until the Song Dynasty in which it made a renewal. Genres in which children were depicted exclusively, became apparent during the Song. Much onus was placed on a child’s spiritual and intellectual development reflecting the Neo-Confucianist values of this era. 

The understanding of a child’s body was that it was ‘unfinished’ therefore vulnerable (Pissin, 2009).  Not only blood and qi (energy), nerves and spirits were weak or ‘not yet substantial’, but also skin, flesh, yin and yang. Because of these weaknesses, children could be hurt by the slightest sudden change (Zhubing yuanhou lun: 45: 6). Medieval children were prone to demonic attacks. Several demons in Medieval China specifically focused on children, such as the bird-like ‘Catching Auntie’. Charms and talismans were often placed in the home to stop these spirits from entering. Explanations for disease focused on demonic and harmonic (yin/yang) causes. Daoist practitioners used ‘Magical medicine’ such as charms and talismans. Exorcism was also used in order to exorcise demons and restore harmony to a body. Many cures were specifically for children or to cure diseases particular to them. 

Women were seen as a danger to young children. Since men were not permitted to enter the female realms in the birth stages if an infant died suspicion fell onto the mother or other older female members of the household. As the mother was also the primary caregiver for the first few years of a child’s life, if it was sick or ill, often it would be attributed to lack of care by the mother. Certain children’s diseases were directly associated with maternal neglect as the cause. Whilst this may paint the mother as a scapegoat, there could have also existed a genuine fear of the mother harming her child, understood today as post-natal depression. 

Natural predators were also a risk which children needed to be protected against. The line between natural and spiritual worlds were often blurred. Many demons were shapeshifters who could transform into animals in order to cause harm. Since both natural and spiritual world fell outside the human domain, they were often intertwined. Tigers were particularly demonised and feared as shapeshifters. Other accidents that attracted the attention of authors included: falling into wells, getting lost in the wilderness, starving and road traffic accidents (with ox carts etc). Caregivers were not blamed for many of these instances. They were instead acknowledged as tragic accidents which had a great impact on both parents (Taiping guangji 388: 3095). Migration was also considered dangerous to a child, but often necessary in times of war or after the death of a parent. 

Medieval education in elite families was based mainly on Confucian ethos relating to behavioural rules, morality and excellent skills in language and rhetoric. Morality instructions for children were believed to be best transmittable with texts, some of which dated back to the early imperial era. The education of sons was of the upmost importance to enable them to access bureaucratic spheres of power and wealth. From the time that boys received professional education, girls supposedly received instructions from the older female members of the household. Education sought to serve ‘a unity between the individual’s purpose for moral perfection and the state’s need for stability and uniformity’ (Lee, 2000). There was also a primary focus on literacy, especially for young men.

Confucian ideals penetrated the education system at all levels (Zürcher, 1989: 19). Daoist and Buddhist philosophy were also integrated into the education system and aristocratic families were well versed in ‘the three ways’, which penetrated politics and culture at every level. Children who were expected or hoped to become professional literates were sent to schools. Lessons were taken by a private teacher and they shared the education with other children of an – in most cases – aristocratic background (Pissin, 2009).  

Summary: 

The first few years of a child’s life, even in the upper echelons of society, were fraught with difficulties during Medieval China. The use of talismans to protect an infant appear to have been based on genuine concerns for their wellbeing, particularly as most ailments and diseases were thought to relate to demons and spirits. An attempt to replicate the power of the stone ‘guard lions’ on a smaller scale to provide personal protection against evil spirits, is more than plausible. 

Since protection charms were also placed in homes, it may have been the case that a second ‘male’ lion would have been made to protect the child’s dwelling. The lions would have been specifically to guard children from dangers in the spiritual (non-human) realms. This would have included attacks from wild animals and ill health but would have had no effect on man-made hazards such as road traffic accidents or parental neglect. Children needed this extra protection whilst they were still weak, not only in a physical sense but also spiritual. The instability of their inner yin and yang made them prone to demonic attacks and illness. Lions would have been a popular motif during this period since they incorporated elements of the ‘three ways’ and originated from a more archaic tradition which complimented Neo-Confucian educational ideals. 

The dangers children face has changed considerably over time and with modern advances in medicine, many are now less dangerous. Yet, there always remains an element which is beyond a parent’s control. An expectant mother can still expect to be briefed on numerous ‘old wives’ tales’ and superstitions relating to childbirth and a new baby. In the Christian faith, crucifixes are still used to protect the home from evil spirits and many rites of passages for children are marked with good luck charms such as a St Christopher pendant for passing their driving test. Whilst these symbols differ between cultures, the premise remains the same. 

As a mother I am perhaps more prone to sentimentality. The lion’s current place in a museum makes me wonder about its original owner. Did the lion fail to protect the child it was gifted to and was subsequently discarded by grieving parents? Was it one of the last things that a dying child saw? Or did the child grow up successfully and no longer need the talisman. The premise that tragedy could have been a part of this object’s story is sobering and it surrounds it with a further layer of mystery. Does it have a dark past? 

Below is a print from the Song Dynasty showing two children playing:

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Material – Nephrite or Jadeite?

Jade can refer to either nephrite or jadeite, both are classed as true jade. Whilst they look similar, the chemical composition and properties of the minerals differ. Nephrite is the most common form of jade. Several sources also state that jadeite did not enter into the Chinese economy from Burma until the 18th century. If this is correct, then this object along with the majority of Chinese jade antiquities will be nephrite. 

However, I remember my conversation with Rachel where she informed me that the word ‘jade’ is used to describe many hard stones in China which can sometimes lead to misunderstandings. The Chinese word for jade (yu), is used for all hard stones. 

I was hoping to examine the stone myself to try and determine if the lion was in fact ‘true jade’. Dr Anthony Parton sent me a YouTube tutorial and I was hoping to acquire a copy of Sir Charles Hardinge’s book on gemmology, Jade: Fact or Fable; a copy of which is in Durham University Library. However due to current COVID_19 restrictions both avenues are now closed to me. I will instead focus on the formal and technical qualities of the object.

Questions: How do small jade animal carvings fit into wider artistic traditions? How is jade manipulated to suit the artist’s purpose?

‘When I first began learning about jade carvings, I was attracted to the flashier, larger carvings. As my expertise grew, I began to value the finesse of the smaller carvings,’ says Paloympis ‘In these smaller examples, you can really begin to appreciate the skill of the lapidary artist, who was able to bring so much detail and life into just a small stone.’ (Christies.com) 

The hardness of jade presented a problem when trying to quarry the mineral. Ancient quarrying techniques would often crack or damage the jade, as such, the best quality jade was extracted from small rocks and pebbles; this may explain the small size of many jade carvings such as the lion. Another explanation may be the stones rarity, scrap pieces of jade would not have been discarded but reworked to create other items. It is not only small carved animals which feature prominently in jade collections but also small figures, jewellery and snuff bottles. The objects function and practicality in relation to its size must also be a factor. If designed for use as a talisman which must be carried around in a person’s pocket or hand, small is better. Jade has a hardness like that of steel so cannot be carved or cut with tools. Instead it has to laboriously drilled, ground, or sawed with an abrasive paste and rotational or repetitive-motion machinery.

These videos on jade and jade carving techniques I found exceptionally useful.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCNMUO5aQPU

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnLPncEIbiw

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxMgkJAZwec

 The Song Period was a time of rapid technological achievement and the jade carvers discovered ‘red sand’ which had better abrasive capabilities to shape the jade, replacing quartz within the carving tradition. 

The lion was made to be touched, played with and traced with fingers. Its smooth, polished surface, size, textures and curved contours are made for human hands. I can imagine having it in my pocket, its slight weight always giving it a presence within the lightness of clothing. Its size is made to fit in a palm and the curve of its spine along with the ridges follow the trajectory of the motion of a person’s thumb. Occasionally its neck could be grasped between the index and middle fingers allowing the thumb tip to trace its way between its underbelly in a criss-cross motion and culminating with a soft, polished little rounded paw. It is a highly sensory object, ideal for ‘fiddlers’ like me!

[debbiecobjectsofdesire]

Talismans

‘Artefacts are tools as well as signals, signs and symbols. Their use and functions are multiple and intertwined. Much of their meaning is subliminal and unconscious.’ (Kingery 1996).

A modern Western description of the role of a talisman, ‘An object, either natural or man-made. Which is believed to protect a person from trouble’, (Pissin, 2009). This description encapsulates enlightenment thinking which reveres scientific fact over spirituality. Western scholars do not believe that talismans work because there is no proof, their effects are acknowledged as merely a placebo effect. Yet reliance on amulets to protect us against fear and assuage danger is integral to most faiths. This faith is the central factor which endows symbols or objects with supernatural powers in the name of religion or magic. 

Whilst a small jade carving means little to me viewed through glass, it encapsulates not only the hopes and fears of its original owner but also symbolises a gesture of faith. Its’ supposed purpose as a gift for a child also gives it an additional patina as a token of love. It was gifted with the hope of protecting someone from harm. It is a symbol of affection and reassurance for both the owner and person who gifted it. Perhaps a parent or teacher (since lions were also associated with pedagogy). Its owner meant something to someone, who wanted to keep them safe. It also gave both the owner and the giver a sense of reassurance. It is hard to measure the meaning of this object using western techniques of explanation and classification. I remember the Buddha I bought in the gift shop on my first visit to the Museum who has been sitting on my desk since alongside my ‘glass evil eye’ ornament from Turkey, meant to bring good luck and my ‘lucky bee marble’ which came along to all my exams last year.

 Sitting on the shelf in the gift shop the Buddha was just another object, meaning was only attached when I bought it specifically for ‘good luck’. It means something to me in a certain context. Whilst the lion now also sits dormant on a shelf in the museum, it may have had meaning once as part of its story. This belief in amulets as good luck or protection is clearly an intrinsic part of the human psyche, it cannot be defined as Eastern or Western, yet symbols of faith from each culture differ according to traditions. 

Further conclusions drawn from research: 

The lion combines elements of the historical material association (the stone and the lion). Its’ visual representation combines both religious and traditional practice. Everything in the material world is a manifestation of Tao, the world is not comprised of independent entities but sets of ‘surfaces’ each of which are in a constant process of transformation. The lion’s journey from a rock to a carved surface visualises this element of the circumstantial. 

It may also be a female since its mouth is closed, which would make sense if it was used as a talisman since females protect the living soul. However, since the lion has no mane (male and females both being depicted with manes), it is possible that this carving is of a cub. The mouth being closed would still relay the object as a female cub so it may have originally been part of a pair. The carving I found (below), shows a similar model of either a lion or tiger with its mouth open. Although a later copy from the 1920’s, this may have been influenced by traditional representations of male cub carvings used as amulets to protect homes and other material belongings. 

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San-Chiao

‘The Three Ways’ 

1) Confucianism 2) Daoism/Taoism 3) Buddhism.

 The ‘three ways’ have existed in China in relative harmony for 2000 years. Each ‘way’ borrows heavily from the others in terms of ideology, terminology and symbolism.

Lion symbolism is heavily integrated into the Buddhist religion, Buddhist sermons are metaphorically referred to as ‘the lion’s roar’, (Thorp, 2001). Stone ‘Guardian lions’ are common throughout China in which they are the protector of the spiritual teaching, or 'dharma'. The lions, depicted in pairs stand guard on entrances to tombs, temples, villages, homes and in modern society and are positioned on the gates to China-towns across the globe. The statues are also a visual manifestation of the Tao principles (Yin and Yang). One lion is female (Yin) and the other male (Yang), however, both have manes. The male usually has his mouth open whilst the females is shut. They mirror each other’s movements, a dynamic of complementary, not opposing, forces, interacting to form a whole greater than either separate part. Symbolically, the female lion protects those dwelling inside (the living soul within), while the male guards the structure (the external material elements). The oscillation between these two energy forces are exemplified within the representation of the animals. 

Lions association with royalty also supports Confucianist dynastical values and the observance of ritual and tradition in balancing the forces of Yin and Yang. 

The relationship of religion and spirituality being associated with natural elements in China is an ancient one. Many other religions also see animals or natural phenomena as having a connection to the divine or heavenly; Durkheim, referred to this religious process as ‘totemism’. The traditional Chinese Lion Dance also combines Buddhist and Daoist elements with the lion and dancers whilst projecting the ideal qualities of a Confucian gentlemen.