A pair of Chinese blue and white 'Wang Xizhi' bottle vases, Transitional period

H.: 25 cm

Condition: (UV-checked)
- The first vase with a break restored to the top rim, as well as another one to the plants on rocks.
- A few small superficial chips to the foot rim and a baking flaw in the middle of the bottom.
- The second vase with a break restored to the top rim.

品相：（已用紫外线光检查）
- 第一个瓶子口修，瓶身中下部分绘假山石和植物处也修复，底足有一些小飞皮，底中间一个窑伤。
- 第二个瓶子口修。

Wang Xizhi (王羲之, 303-361) is often said to be the greatest calligrapher in Chinese history. He has his biography in the official history of Jin 晋 dynasty (c. 265-420). One anecdote in it concerns his fame for his calligraphic skill and his love of geese. A Daoist priest in the neighbourhood raised a handsome flock of geese. Wang Xizhi paid a special visit to him in order to see the geese and found it hard to tear himself away from them. He pleaded with the priest to sell the flock to him. The geese raiser made him a counteroffer: ‘I will let you have the whole flock if you write a copy of Laozi’s Daodejing (道德经) text for me.’ Wang Xizhi willingly finished the job and went home happily with the geese.

Ever since the Yuan dynasty (1271-1368), there are two basic types of composition depicting Wang’s love of geese. One type shows Wang watching geese in the river from the bank; the other features him being offered a goose by his servant or the priest. (source: tutuhaoyi.com)