A Chinese famille rose charger decorated with the “Three Heroes of the Wind and Dust”. Qianlong

The charger is decorated in the famille rose palette, with four figures in a landscape under a tree. The rim with sprays of flowers.

Related works

For a pair of chargers, see Cohen & Cohen with William Motley, The Golden Gate Collection, 2018, p.32, no. 28.

For an armorial service with the same design to the center of the plates, see David Howard, Chinese Armorial Porcelain, vol. 1, p. 343 (Salvador).

Notice

“The Three Heroes of the Wind and Dust” pertains to a trio of illustrious figures from the waning days of the Sui Dynasty (581–618) and the nascent period of the Tang Dynasty (618–907): Qiu Ran Ke, Li Jing, and Hong Fu Nu. This narrative finds its origin in the Tang Dynasty legend “The Story of Qiu Ran Ke.” As the Sui Dynasty drew to a close, Li Jing encountered Sikong Yang Su in the imperial city of Chang’an and captured the admiration of Yang Su’s concubine, Hong Fu. Together, they absconded. Along their journey, they encountered the valorous Qiu Ran Ke, and the three proceeded to Taiyuan, where they were introduced to Li Shimin through Liu Wenjing. Qiu Ran Ke harbored aspirations of dominion over the realm. Recognizing Li Shimin’s exceptional qualities, Qiu Ran Ke understood that he could not surpass him, thus he allocated his family wealth to fortify Li Jing and aid Li Shimin in his quest for glory. Subsequently, Qiu Ran Ke ventured to the Kingdom of Fuyu and proclaimed himself king. In light of these remarkable events, Li Jing, Hong Fu, and Qiu Ran Ke are collectively venerated as the “Three Heroes of the Wind and Dust.

The beard figure on the right is Qiu Ran, the young man in the middle on the scene is Li Jing, the maid is called Hong Fu. They are accompanied with a boy, to liven up the atmosphere.