Please enjoy some Longquan (龙泉) green celadon plates I acquired from China. Longquan in Zhejiang Province of China is well-known for its celadon ware with a beautiful semi-translucent green shade that closely emulates the jade’s appearance.
By Song Dynasty (960 -1279), developments in celadon ceramics production techniques achieved the most famous version of the green color, which often bears the closest resemblance to good quality jade.
During my many trips to Shanghai, I often visit “Duoyun Xuan,” a famous 4-storey art and antique shop that stocks a good supply of black ink, coloring materials, and papers for Chinese painting and calligraphy. I would make purchases of materials necessary for my painting and calligraphy work from the shop and visit the art exhibitions held at the uppermost level.
On one of my visits to “Duoyun Xuan,” I noticed a large celadon plate with two large carp engraving at the centre on display at the show window on the ground floor, close to the entrance. I think the price was more than RMB 4,000/-. I was tempted to acquire this unusually large plate. But I did not have sufficient funds, and credit cards were not yet in use in China.
Some years later (when I was invited as the main speaker to the 1st International Congress on Quality Assurance of Diagnostic Procedures in Patient Care in Hospitals held in Hangzhou), I noticed a large beautiful green celadon plate in a shop located in the 5-Star Congress hotel. It was the same size as the one I encountered earlier in Shanghai. However, a single large peony flower was engraved right at the centre instead of a pair of carps.
I was glad to carry it home for my appreciation and collection. Two pictures show the variation of “green” colors one can expect to see in green celadon ware. Subsequently, I acquired two other smaller ones with peony flower motifs.
Tan It Koon
Before retirement, Dr Tan It Koon was, among many appointments, Head of Clinical Biochemistry at SGH’s Dept of Pathology. He was the Deputy Chairman of the National Theatre Trust and Chairman for Grants and Scholarships of the Spore Cultural Foundation. He received the National Day Awards, PBM, and PPA, for his contribution to cultural and community development and excellence in Public Administration.
