Taking advantage of the Spring Festival holiday to finally have time to watch "The Wind Rises in Luoyang", some people talk about the set in the play, some people talk about costumes, some people say food, I want to say, is a ruler in the hands of Baili Hongyi.
Why does a ruler make me so excited, because if I were to choose a cultural relic to introduce the Tang Dynasty, I would not choose the gold-encrusted animal head agate cup in the cellar of Hejia Village, or the gilded dancing horsebit cup pattern silver pot, this small ruler in my eyes, is the tang dynasty in the tube to peek at the leopard and see the big in the small.
So, the first article of the Year of the Tiger, let's start with this ruler.
The original ruler of the Tang Dynasty is already 1266 years old
Many people may say, isn't it just a ruler, in addition to being old enough, how big can it be.
This size is not the size of the pencil case or plastic or steel ruler that we used in school, it was made by the Tang Dynasty government and made of precious ivory material.
The material of ivory alone cannot make it a representative of Datang, but also talk about its craftsmanship - dialing! This is an original craft of the Tang Dynasty.
The so-called "dialing", the surface of the ivory is dyed with red, green and other colors, the pattern is lightly carved on the surface, and then decorated with hollowing techniques, and the colors are dyed layer by layer.
Having said all this, let everyone see the true appearance of the ruler in Baili Hongyi's hand. In 2019, I had the privilege of seeing a red tooth cutter and a green cutter in Shosoin's collection at the Shosoin National Museum in 2019, which was truly amazing.
One side of the red ruler is divided into ten squares per inch, namely phoenix, magpie, flower deer, bird, and duck, which are separated by tang patterns. Is the ruler of Baili Hongyi highly similar to the pattern of this red ruler?
On the other side, there is no boundary, but it is alternately woven with lotus patterns, dogwood and other flowers and grass patterns and phoenix, magpie, kingfisher, Dai Sheng, flower deer, mandarin duck, and geese. The painting technique is smooth in line, the figures, birds and animals are full of fun, the colors are magnificent, and the carvings are exquisite.
There is also a handful of green ones, which are actually more blue, probably because the years are too long and the dyeing has been worn.
The green tooth ruler technique is the same as the red tooth ruler, and it is also divided into ten squares on one side, and the geese, mandarin ducks, unicorns, birds, and deer are separated by patterns. On the other side, there is no boundary, flowers and birds are intertwined, and the bird's mouth is also tied to the ribbon.
Both rulers are of a certain thickness, and the sides are also carved with flowers and grass patterns or cloud patterns.
Mr. Wang Guowei once wrote a letter to the archaeologist Ma Heng about the Tang Ruler seen in the "Dongying Pearl": "The color of its paintings and carvings (in the shape of flowers and birds in every existence) is exquisite, and when it is Tang Jisheng's work, it is beyond the ability of Pi Shi, and it seems that the Tang Ruler is still infallible." He also entrusted people to "first imitate the length and shortness, and then shadow its pattern" in order to imitate it again. There are still a few unfinished ones in the Nakakura courtyard of the Shosoin Temple, and Mr. Wang believes that it is probably a Japanese imitation of the Tang ruler.
It is no wonder that Mr. Wang has the sigh of "when it is the most prosperous work of Tang, not what Others can do", in 2019, I saw these two Tang rulers at the Nara National Museum Shosoin Treasure Exhibition, no matter how many times I have seen it in the album, when I see its real appearance, I still can't believe it, even a little incredulous. More than a thousand years later, it still exudes dazzling brilliance, like a new color.
Exquisite Tang ruler, is there any in China?
Such exquisite rulers are collected in The Shosoin Temple in Nara, Japan, with a total of 10 sticks, including six in the North Warehouse, two in the skeletonized red tooth ruler, two in the green and white teeth ruler, and four red tooth rulers in the middle warehouse. What is valuable is that they have been well preserved after thousands of years, and it is not an exaggeration to describe them as bright as new.
The origin of these rulers is found in the "Tianping Shengbao Eight-Year-Old (756) June 21 Sacrifice Account", when brought back by Japanese envoys sent to the Tang Dynasty. Mr. Wang Guowei's "Guantang Jilin" volume 19, "Records of the Scale of Existing Dynasties" Five Tang Dynasty Tooth Ruler Notes Cloud: "The red and green tooth ruler hidden in nara Shosoin Temple is determined to be the object before Tang Kaiyuan. ”
Bas-reliefs depict flowers, birds and animals, houses, pavilions, and flying figures
In addition to the 10 swords in shokura-in, is there any other collection?
In Fu Yunzi's book "Archaeological Records of Shosoin Temple", it is recorded that "there are still Nanpi Zhang's Tibetan Tang Official Ruler, as well as Wucheng Jiang's Tibetan Tang Cutter Ruler, and Japan's Kana Clan Tibetan Cutout Ruler," which are the same period as those hidden in Shokura-in. I have never seen the actual object, but I can get a glimpse of it from the text below.
Yang Xiaogu wrote in the Archaeological Records of Dongying: ""
Luo Fuyi's "Catalogue of Ancient Rulers", recorded: "" (Two pieces of the Jiana clan's private collection, judging from texture, size, ornamentation, naming and other characteristics, may also be pieces brought by Japanese envoys sent to the Tang Dynasty from China, because they were scattered outside, eventually became private collections)
I would like to say a few words about the hiding place of Wucheng Jiang.
In the "Archaeological Records of Zhengcangyuan" there is a note: "Guantang Jilin (a self-selected collection of essays by Mr. Wang Guowei), volume 19, "Records of the Scale of Existing Dynasties", Five Tang Dynasty Tooth Ruler Notes: 'Wucheng Jiang's collection, carved exquisitely. ’”
In the catalogue of the "Complete Collection of Chinese Bamboo and Wood Tooth Horns (4 Tooth Horns)" published by the Cultural Relics Publishing House in 2009, it is also impressively written "One or three ivory plucked birds and beasts with flower patterns and tang", which was held in the book "Shanghai Museum" jointly published by the Cultural Relics Publishing House and the Japan Kodansha in 1985. Combined with relevant information, it can be concluded that this ruler was collected by Wucheng Jiang and later entered the Shanghai Museum, but no text or image introduction of this cultural relic was found on its official website.
In an article entitled "A Long Talk about the Ruler of Ancient China", it is introduced to the Shangbo Tang Ruler as follows:
It seems that there are also yes in China, and the degree of exquisiteness is not inferior to that of Shocangyuan, but it just so happened that I recently read Sun Ji's book "Waking Up from History", and in the last chapter of the book, "About a 'Tang' Cut-Out Ruler", Teacher Sun Ji compared the patterns on the Tang rulers hidden in the Shanghai Museum with the Tang rulers stored in the Shocang Courtyard and came to a different view. First, the Upper Bo Tang ruler should not be called "dialing", at the beginning of the article mentioned the dialing process, referring to the blank dyeing and then engraving out the natural color pattern, and this ruler only applies the yin line engraving Practice is different, so it can only be called "skeletonized tooth ruler".
What is the second conclusion, let's not worry. Let's take a look at the comparison chart listed by Teacher Sun Ji. (The framed patterns in the figure are all line engravings of the Shangbo Tang ruler pattern)
Image from Sun Ji's "Waking Up from History"
Compared with the prototype of the pattern in Figure 2 in the figure, the octagonal mirror of the Shosoin temple is painted back with gold and silver flat off
Compare the prototype of the pattern in Figure 5 in the figure, and the octagonal mirror of the main warehouse is hidden in the bird flower back
How do you feel? Does the phoenix pattern in the Shangbo Tang ruler look like a combination of the phoenix patterns on the two bronze mirrors of shosoin? In the eyes of Teacher Sun Ji, the phoenix pattern of the Shangbo Tang Ruler was big and stupid, and the legs were short, and there was no qi Yuxuan's aura, and the tail feathers were also thin.
Comparison figure 2 pattern prototype in the figure, Shosoin hides octagonal mirror bird beast flower back
Compare the prototype of the pattern in Figure 6 in the figure, and the green tooth cutout ruler of the Shosoin Temple
This is a set of unicorn pattern contrasts. Have you noticed that the qilin on the Upper Bo Tang ruler is a claw on the top and a hoof on the back, and the hair is bald and weak, like a fox, compared with other Tang Dynasty qilin patterns, it is not majestic.
Compare the prototype of the pattern in Figure 2 in the figure, and the honeysuckle plate in shosoin
Compared with the prototype of the pattern in Figure 4 in the figure, the green tooth cutout ruler of the Shosoin Temple
This is a comparison chart of the deer. The similarity of this is even higher, but the reishi on the antlers becomes mini, unlike the reishi more like a morning glory.
I only picked a few contrasts in Sun Ji's article, and I think all readers have their own views in their hearts. In the eyes of Teacher Sun Ji, shangbo's collection is not a Tang object, but a work of later generations!
How much is the afterlife?
Teacher Sun Ji believes that "since most of the images on the ruler are collected from the Shosoin collection, and many people in the mainland understand the details of the Shosoin collection after the Tokyo Aesthetic Academy published the book "The Light of toei" in 1926-1927, the time for making this ruler will not be too early." It is said that this ruler is the old collection of Wucheng Jiang. Wang Guowei's "Guantang Jilin, Nara Shokura-in Temple, Japan" said: "In May of 1926, Wucheng Jiang Gusun sent Yu Cutt-out Ruler Takumoto, and its shape length was the same as the Tang Ruler hidden in shokura-in, which was the same as the Tang Ruler hidden in Shokura-in. ’
It mentions a book, "The Light of Toei", which was published in 1926, which recorded the two branches of the red tooth cutter and the two green tooth cutter rulers hidden in the Shocang Temple, and Sun Ji thought that the imitation of the cutout ruler held the book as the basis, just in time, but due to the rush of time and the disparity in craftsmanship, there were many errors in the patchwork.
Neutralization knots and neutralizing rulers
The image is from the shosoin treasure exhibition album
Mr. Koizumi Katsukatsu, an expert in the history of weights and measures in Japan, in his book "Ruler", has a description of this kind of cut-out ruler: the ruler is covered with very exquisitely dialed flower and bird patterns, saying that it is a tool used, it is better to say that it is an incomparable work of art. Because although it is called a ruler, it does not have a scale, so this ruler should be a ceremonial instrument. (So "Wind Rises Luoyang" Baili Hongyi used it to measure on the map is actually a mistake)
As for what it is for, don't worry, I'll talk about it right away.
I would say that this ruler is related to the festival of "February 2nd", and you will not be a little surprised, but the February 2 of the Tang Dynasty is different.
After Tang Dezong Li Shi quelled the rebellion of Zhu Zhu and Li Xilie, he changed his era name to "Zhenyuan". He believes that there is a "Shangwei Festival" in March, a "Chongyang Festival" in September, and February is when the weather turns from cold to warm, everything recovers, and farming begins, but there is no festival, which is really impossible to say, so at the suggestion of the prime minister Li Bi (well, that is, the Li Bi in the "Twelve Hours of Chang'an"), the obscure day of the first month (the last day of the first month) is abolished, and the first day of February is used as the middle festival to show the service book. The so-called "neutralization" refers to the peace of the central government, and officials at all levels must be impartial in the process of handling law enforcement.
Since the fifth year of the Zhen Dynasty (789 AD), February 1 is the Zhonghe Festival. On this day, the officials were on vacation, and the emperor would not only entertain the courtiers in the palace, but also have a necessary program at the banquet, that is, tang Dezong personally directed the production of "Zhonghe Music and Dance". As history evolved, the Festival was gradually changed to February 2. (Unfortunately, Li Bi just passed the Zhonghe Festival once and died on March 2, a month later)
Tang Li Linfu's "Tang Liudian Volume 22 Shaofu Military Weapons Supervisor" mentions that the Zhongshun Bureau, which holds offerings to the imperial palace every February 2, must present the skeletonized ruler and the wood-painted rosewood ruler to the imperial palace every February 2, because the emperor will reward these rulers to the ministers around him on this day.
As mentioned above, the Tang ruler of shosoin is found in the "Tianping Shengbao Eight-year-old (756) June 21 Sacrifice Account", and it is estimated from time that it should be something before Tang Kaiyuan. The custom of giving rulers to the Zhonghe Festival began only in 789 AD, and the several Tang rulers in the Shocang Courtyard were 33 years earlier than the Zhonghe Festival, so on what occasions would these Tang rulers appear as ceremonial instruments before being used as gifts from the emperor?
Why did the emperor choose to reward the ruler on the Zhonghe Festival? As early as the Han Dynasty's book of "Etiquette and Moon Order", it is recorded that the degree, quantity, and weight pay attention to fairness and accuracy, and mid-spring February is a season when the length of day and night is basically equal, which is suitable for calibrating weights and measures. Emperor Zhonghejie rewarded his courtiers with a ruler, which can be said to be a flexible application of this tradition. It is hoped that the courtiers will be able to handle political affairs fairly and justly in their future work, be honest and impartial, and not only have the same law as the ruler when enforcing the law, but also pay attention to proportions and coordinate all kinds of relations.
Zhang Jiuling, the chancellor of the Tang Dynasty, wrote in the article "Xie Zhi Zhi Zhi Shi Shi Zhi Fushimi Chen, stealing thanks to good work, vainly holding the knife ruler, terminal death, taking jun heng. Bai Juyi was also rewarded, and wrote the "Zhonghe Festival Thanksgiving Ruler": "Today, it is announced that the ministers and other red teeth and silver inches will be one inch each." The festival of peace is celebrated, and when the day and night are divided equally, the order of the contract is issued. In the case of red teeth as the ruler, platinum as the inch, beauty and degree, huan with the declaration, the heart of the degree of clarity, the virtue of the above table. ”
In the eighth year of Zhenyuan (792), the Erudite Hongzi Branch (according to the "Cihai" "Erudite Hongzi Branch" article explains: The examination subjects temporarily set up by the feudal dynasty, as one of the system subjects, began in the time of Tang Xuanzong) used the "Zhonghe Jie Zhi Gongqing Ruler" as the examination question for the imperial examination, and made a poem, the purpose of which was to require the literati who took the imperial examination to remember the emperor's reward, not to forget the emperor's earnest hope, and to uphold the principle of fairness and justice in law enforcement after entering the military and do things in a down-to-earth manner.
Tang gilded bronze ruler in the museum
I have never seen the exquisite Tang Ya ruler again, but I once saw a Tang gilded bronze ruler in the ancient Chinese exhibition hall of the National Museum, five different flowers, separating birds and beasts, which has made me feel that Tang is very beautiful, and I can't help but clap my hands and praise.
In the process of searching for Tang ruler information, I found a piece of Yang Busy's "Protection and Research of Tang Gilded Copper Ruler", which also mentioned a gilded copper ruler excavated in 2002 in a batch of Tang tombs in Ziwei Pastoral, the southern suburbs of Xi'an. The copper ruler is divided into ten unit sections, each section on the front is engraved with a pattern, two groups are animals, one group is a mandarin duck pair, one group is a red goose with a ribbon, and the other three groups are tuanhua and folded branch flowers. On the back is a long, folded vine made up of flowers and leaves.
Image source Yang Busy "Protection and Research of Tang Gilded Copper Ruler"
There is also Mr. Ma Weidu's "Guan Fu Tu Du" No. 86, which also introduces a Tang Dynasty silver gilt gilt flower and bird pattern long ruler.
The image is from a video screenshot
The glory of datang in my heart is hidden in such a ruler, so what about yours?
The pictures in the text are taken by the National Museum of Tang Dynasty, and the pictures of the red and green teeth cut-out ruler are from the official website and album of Shosoin Temple in Japan