28 | BEMUSE | Nº 19 | APR – JUN 2012 | 29 wares as supreme, the products of the Xing and Ding kilns were often very similar and almost indistinguishable. Attribution was made more difficult by the poor condition of some of the finds. GREEN-SPLASHED WARES Almost 200 pieces of white wares decorated with copper-green splashes were recovered from the wreck. Chemical analysis of retrieved shards suggests that the majority of these ceramics came from the kilns at Gongxian in Henan province. Gongxian potters probably sought to develop alternative product lines as their white wares faced serious competition from Xing ceramics. These more colourful products appealed in particular to foreign markets. Tang green-splashed wares have been found at the Abbasid city of Samarra (Iraq) and the port of Siraf (Iran), among many other sites in the Near East region. GREEN WARES The most esteemed green wares from the Yue kilns in Zhejiang province were likened to jade. Lu Yu, a tea connoisseur from the Tang dynasty, rated Yue tea bowls most highly in his Chajing (The Classic of Tea), the first monograph on tea in the world. The lustrous glaze of Yue wares was perceived to enhance the tea’s colour. Yue ceramics were thus often undecorated, emphasising the beauty of their glaze and form instead. Of the approximately 900 pieces of green wares found on the ship, only around 200 were from the Yue kilns. The rest were products of Guangdong, which consisted mainly of sturdy storage containers and a small selection of tableware. The figures reflect the limited output of the Yue kilns, which seem to have rather strict quality control. Just like the many ceramic wares found on board, there was an enthusiastic foreign market for green wares, as indicated by their discovery at sites as far afield as Samarra in Iraq, Siraf in Iran, and Fustat (old Cairo) in Egypt. PRECIOUS METALS The gold, silver, and bronze objects found in the shipwreck constituted one of the most important discoveries of Tang metalwork, and the first outside of China. Especially rare are the objects of pure gold: an MUSEINGS. octagonal cup, three shallow bowls, and three dishes. Also discovered were silver boxes of varying forms, possibly used as containers for cosmetics, incense or medicine; and a richly decorated wine flask. A total of 29 Chinese bronze mirrors were found in the wreck – one of the largest assemblages of Tang mirrors ever discovered. Such a large collection suggests that the mirrors were meant to be sold, and not the crew’s personal possessions. Among the mirrors was the only surviving example of a celebrated form called “Jiangxin” or “Yangxin” (Heart of the Yangzi River), which was previously recorded in texts. It was supposedly cast on board a boat moored in the Yangzi River at Yangzhou and charged with cosmological powers. Of extremely high quality, it was also presented as tribute to the imperial court. Many of these objects were probably made in Yangzhou, a leading centre of fine craft. It remains a mystery for whom these luxuries were intended. The gold objects might have been gifts from the Tang emperor in return for tribute presented by a foreign mission. Or they might have been used by Chinese officials to ease trade negotiations over desirable imports from abroad, such as spices, pearls and other exotic rarities. Whichever the case, these extravagant articles indicate that the masters of the Belitung ship were engaged in dealings with the elite of Tang society. Although there are still many puzzles surrounding the ship and its excavation has raised debate, the importance of this Tang shipwreck is immense. Its extensive cargo is one of the most significant assemblages of Tang artefacts found at a single site. Not only does it serve as a time capsule of ninth-century Tang China, it has also revealed the interactions between China, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, showing an already very well connected world. Kan Shuyi is Curator (China), Asian Civilisations Museum. Flask. China, ca. 830, gilded silver. Tang Shipwreck Treasure: Singapore’s Maritime Collection. Photograph copyright Singapore Tourism <strong>Board</strong>. EXHIBITION INFORMATION: The Tang Shipwreck: Gold and Ceramics from 9th-century China 21 Jan - 24 Jun 2012 Gallery 2, Asian Civilisations Museum, Empress Place This exhibition is organised by the Asian Civilisations Museum and the Singapore Tourism <strong>Board</strong>. Unless otherwise stated, the objects on display are from the Tang Shipwreck Treasures: Singapore’s Maritime Collection. The acquisition was made possible by the generous donation of the Estate of Tan Sri Khoo Teck Puat. The recovery and conservation of the collection was undertaken by Tilman Walterfang. Green wares, parcel-gilt silver bowl with rhinoceros motif, and gold oval bowls. China, ca. 830. Tang Shipwreck Treasure: Singapore’s Maritime Collection. Photograph by John Tsantes & Robb Harrell, Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution. Octagonal cup with musicians and a dancer. China, ca. 830, gold. Tang Shipwreck Treasure: Singapore’s Maritime Collection. Photograph copyright Singapore Tourism <strong>Board</strong>. "Jiangxin" mirror with cosmological decoration. China, 759, bronze. Tang Shipwreck Treasure: Singapore’s Maritime Collection. Photograph copyright Singapore Tourism <strong>Board</strong>.
30 | BEMUSE | Nº 19 | APR – JUN 2012 | 31 “Industrial Glam” hotel lobby designed by Asylum. MUSEDESIGN. TEXT BY CHERYL SIM IMAGES COURTESY OF WANDERLUST HOTEL PHOTOGRAPHY BY RORY DANIEL A WANDERLUST PLAYGROUND 2 DICKSON ROAD
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