A rare Chinese monochrome white-glazed bowl, Jinlu Dajiao Tan Yong mark, Jiajing

Dia.: 9 cm - H.: 4,5 cm

Condition: (UV-checked)
- In quasi excellent condition, with a few superficial glaze loss on the rim.

品相：（已用紫外线光检查）
- 几乎全美品，碗口几处剥釉。

Provenance:
- A Belgian private collection.
- A South-German private collection.

Ref.:
- The British Museum, registration no. PDF,B.675 for an almost identical cup. (link)
- A similar bowl, dated Xuande, is in the National Palace Museum of Taiwan. (link)

Presented in a blue-lined glass-front display box, which dates back to the period of the Republic of China (1912-1949).
In the well of the bowl, we find the character cha (tea) within a double circle in underglaze blue. On the base is the mark 'Jinlu Dajiao Tan yong' (for use on the Gold Record Great Sacrifice Altar) within a circle, the cobalt of a deep blue tone.
Both the Taoshuo and the Jingdezhen Taolu mention a tanzhan (altar cup). The Taoshuo first quotes a passage from the Bowu Yaolan (Select Items from Things Surveyed): Small white cups, inscribed with the characters 'tea', 'wine', ‘hot water with dates' and ‘hot water with ginger’ respectively. They were Daoist ceremonial vessels for Shizong [Jiajing Emperor] and were called altar cups. They are not as good as those from the Xuande period.
These cups from the Jiajing period exist in three sizes: large, medium, and small. Those with the "tea" character are of good quality, while those inscribed ‘hot water with ginger’ are of inferior quality. They are inscribed "Jinlu Dajiao Tan Yong". In Daoist terminology Jinlu is an edict from the High Lord. The Jinlu dajiao (gold register), the huanglu dajiao (yellow register), and the yulu dajiao (jade register) are three important sacrificial ceremonies. The present cup (and excavated shards) provides important information as to what was placed on the altar on such occasions.

明代嘉靖年间，有一种白瓷小杯，外底书“金籙大醮壇用”六字款，内底写“茶”、“汤”等字。这种器物，早在明代就被一些文人在著述中屡屡称赞。如文震亨《长物志》卷十二说：“世庙有坛盏，中有‘茶’‘汤’‘果’‘酒’，后有‘金箓大醮坛用’等字者亦佳。”可见，这种小杯子称“壇盞”，是“世庙”(嘉靖)的皇家用器。

嘉靖青花“金籙大醮壇用”款碗标本，明御窑厂遗址多有出土，由此可印证嘉靖宫中斋醮活动盛行。关于斋醮，这是道教独具特色的宗教仪式，斋醮即供斋醮神、设坛祭祷神灵，内容有清洁身心、设坛摆供、焚香、化符、掐诀、叩齿、存想、念咒、上章、诵经、赞颂，并配以音乐、灯烛和禹步等仪范程序。

明代嘉靖帝是个热衷于举办“金籙大醮壇”的人，目的有延寿、求嗣、祈福等。据《万历野获编》卷二记载：“每建金籙大醮壇，则上必日躬至焉。凡入直撰元诸侥臣，皆附丽其旁，即阁臣亦昼夜供事，不复至文渊阁。盖君臣上下，朝真醮斗几三十年，与帝社稷相终始。” “壇盞”是专门为“金籙大醮壇”订制的瓷器，这在历史上是独一无二的。