Mid Century Chinese Porcelain Dancing Cranes Cong

Details

Description

Chinese porcelain dancing cranes cong , A finely formed, square vase with a circular top and bottom, decorated with a … Read more Chinese porcelain dancing cranes cong , A finely formed, square vase with a circular top and bottom, decorated with a dense pattern of five dancing red crowned cranes per face amid qingyun on a glossy, gold glazed, reflective ground, with a white glazed interior and inset base, gilt rim and foot. A red, Jing De ZhenYi Shi Ci Chang Chi Pin mark is glazed to the inset base. Circa Republic of China era.

Jing De ZhenYi Shi Ci Chang Chi Pin: Product of the Jingdezhen Art Porcelain Factory

Qìngyún): 'five-colour cloud') or wucai xiangyun (五彩祥云; 五彩祥雲; wǔcǎi xiángyún; 'five-coloured auspicious clouds'), which was perceived as an indicator of a kingdom at peace.

Five cranes: Bird of Immortals: Believed to live for a thousand years, cranes are closely tied to Taoist mythology as celestial vehicles that carry souls or immortals (xian) between earth and heaven.
• Purity and Nobility: Their white plumage denotes purity, while their red crown signifies a high, noble spirit whose call reaches the heavens.
• Harmony and Balance: Often paired with pine trees, rocks, or the sun, they embody a peaceful coexistence with nature and high moral integrity.
The Significance of "Five" Cranes
• The Five Phases (Wuxing): The number five directly invokes the fundamental elements of Chinese cosmology—Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water—linking the celestial presence of the cranes to the natural order and balance of the universe.
• Five Blessings (Wufu): Multiples of auspicious animals frequently symbolize the convergence of the five fundamental blessings: longevity, wealth, health, virtue, and a peaceful natural death.
• Homophones and Wordplay: In spoken Chinese, the word for crane (he 鶴) shares a near-identical pronunciation (homophone) with the word for harmony or peace (he 和), making groups of cranes a visual pun for total harmony. See less