這套器物由藍理捷購於香港松心閣，並於2006年售出給納爾遜博物館。這套器物可謂是隋代器物的標準器，此時白釉尚未成熟，雖然釉面有斑駁但瑕不掩瑜，這個時代的器物以造型、內涵取勝。這套器物是為袖珍尺寸，多年來並無此類作品再出，存世極為罕見。
無論從審美，歷史意義上，都十分具有研究價值。特別是鞋子、憑幾還有隋代女士經常使用的圓凳等，都十分精巧可愛。
隋代（581–618 AD）的微型白釉陶器家具和器皿是一批極為罕見的遺存，其精細工藝和獨特造型不僅反映了隋代白釉陶瓷技術的初步成熟，也揭示了當時社會生活和葬俗文化的豐富內涵。這組器物以白質陶坯為基礎，覆以淡綠釉，儘管釉面略有不均，但更顯出工匠在造型和細節處理上的高超技藝。從微縮的家具（如小凳、低桌、遊戲板）到各式日常及禮儀用具，每一件均精確再現了當時實物的形式與功能，反映出隋代人對生活儀式與來世供養的深刻認知。
根據文獻記載和近期學術討論，這批器物不僅在藝術上具有極高的審美價值，其出土與流傳經歷也充滿戲劇性：該組藏品的來源最初可追溯至隋代墓葬，並經由香港Lam's Gallery及J.J. Lally的交易流入現代博物館收藏，如今收藏於美國Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art中。與來自河南安陽等地其他隋墓中出土的相似器物相比，這一組作品在規模和精細程度上都顯示出極高的製作水準，為我們研究隋代的物質文化、白釉技術及其社會功能提供了珍貴實證。
此外，學者們通過對比不同墓葬和博物館藏品，發現這類微型陶器不僅具有裝飾性和觀賞性，更承載著古代“以形補實”的葬俗觀念，即藉由模擬日常生活器具，為逝者在另一個世界提供所需，體現了古人對來世生活的期許。這種從實物縮影中反映出社會、經濟和宗教等多重文化因素的現象，使得該批器物在中外學術界均引起了廣泛關注。
總之，隋代白釉微型陶器家具及器皿不僅是隋代工藝美學和技術革新的代表，同時也是研究隋代社會生活和信仰體系的重要窗口。隨著相關展覽和學術論文的陸續發表，這類器物的研究正逐步深化，進一步豐富了我們對中國早期陶瓷藝術和葬俗文化的認識。
A SET OF GLAZED STONEWARE MINIATURE FURNITURE
Sui Dynasty (A.D. 581-618)
Height of objects 2 1/2 inches - 5 1/2 inches (6-14 cm)Height of granaries 12 1/4 inches -13 inches (31-33 cm)
包括一個帶五個插座的方形燭台、一個帶三腳架馬腿支架的青銅形式的鼎爐、一個帶碟形支架的穿蓮花形鼎爐、一個帶環的油燈、一個帶蓮花頂飾的圓柱形帶蓋盒的小稜模型、 一個帶長柄的青銅澆注器，置於三腳架馬腿支架上；一雙刻有紋飾的靴子；一雙翹起半圓形腳趾的拖鞋；一個卵形枕頭，兩端穿有蓮花瓣和環形裝飾；一個四方形井口模型；一個小方勺；一個長方形有蓋盒；另一個較小的長方形有蓋盒，內壁塗有朱砂紅色顏料、 一個階梯形凸緣正面的爐子模型，一個三腳的 “C ”形憑幾，一個有角形支架的矮桌，可能是一個棋盤，一個有槽的線軸形凳子，一個有角形支架的刻有圖案的方形圍棋棋盤，一個兩端上翹的桌子，桌子的支架是有槽的，一個窄墊形的長方形扶手，扶手的支架是木架、 一對石板支撐的長方形小桌，一個鏤空平台底座上的塊狀倉庫模型，可拆卸的 “瓦 ”形屋頂下有一個小凹門，屋頂上有多個蓮花頂飾，以及兩個糧倉模型，每個模型都是高圓形，鏤空平台底座上有刻花門，配有可拆卸的帶蓮花頂飾的高尖屋頂。
all made from high-fired white pottery covered with a translucent glaze of pale greenish tone, showing scattered remains of gold foil, including a candelabrum of squared form with five sockets, a bronze-form ding censer on tripod horse-leg supports, a pierced lotus-bud form censer on dish support, an oil lamp with rings on a ribbed standard rising to a bud finial, a small ribbed model of a cylindrical covered box with lotus bud finial, a bronze-form pouring vessel with long handle on tripod horse-leg supports, a pair of boots with incised decoration, a pair of slippers with upturned half-round toes, an ovoid pillow with pierced lotus-petal-and-loop ends, a quadrangular model of a wellhead, a small square ladle, an oblong covered box, another smaller oblong covered box with cinnabar red pigment on the interior, a model of a stove with stepped-flange front, a 'C'-shaped armrest on three legs, a low table on corner-bracket supports, possibly a game board, a slotted spool-shaped stool, an incised square weiqi chessboard on corner-bracket supports, a table with turned-up ends raised on splayed slotted supports, a narrow cushion-shaped oblong armrest on trestle supports, a pair of small rectangular tables on slab supports, a block-shaped model of a storehouse on openwork platform base with a small recessed door under the removable “tiled” roof with multiple lotus bud finials, and two models of granaries, each of tall rounded form with incised door above the openwork platform base and fitted with removable high pointed roof with lotus bud finial.
隋代白釉陶器常見問答
1. 這批隋代微型陶器套裝的意義何在？目前收藏於何處？
這批微型陶器作為隋代（581–618 AD）陶瓷的代表作品，意義重大。其以精細的白質石器為胎，覆以淡綠透明釉，充分展現了隋代白釉技術初步發展的水平，同時在微縮比例下逼真再現了日常生活中的傢具和器皿細節。目前，這批器物隸屬於美國Nelson-Atkins藝術博物館的藏品，其來源經過Lam's Gallery在香港的初次購入，後由J.J. Lally收購流入博物館收藏。
2. 這批隋代陶器套裝有哪些突出特點？在工藝和材料方面有何亮點？
該套陶器採用高溫燒制的白質陶坯，並施以一層透明的淡綠色釉，展現了當時白釉技術的萌芽階段。雖然釉面存在一定不均，但作品的重點在於每一件器物精緻的造型和細膩的設計；部分作品還留有金箔痕跡。器物以微型比例真實再現了生活中的傢具、禮儀用品及個人器物，充分體現了當時工匠在造型和裝飾上的高超技藝。
3. 這套微型陶器包含了哪些種類的物件？
該套裝內容豐富，涵蓋了日常生活和禮儀活動中的多種器物模型。例如：一座五座式燭台、一件青銅鼎形熏香爐、一件蓮蕾形熏香爐、一盞油燈、一隻有蓋箱、一件倒酒器、一雙鞋、一雙拖鞋、一隻卵形枕、一處井口、一把勺、一批有蓋箱（其中一件施以紅色顏料）、一座火爐、一隻扶手、一張低桌（可能兼作遊戲棋盤）、一隻凳子、一副棋盤、一張兩端上翹的桌子、一隻扶手、一組小矩形桌子、一座倉庫模型以及兩座糧倉模型。
4. 為什麼這套器物被認為極為罕見且對學術研究意義重大？
該套裝之所以罕見，不僅在於其完整性和工藝精湛，更因其作為隋代物質文化的有形見證，為研究隋代日常生活、禮儀制度和陶瓷製作技術提供了極為珍貴的實物資料。作品中呈現的各類器物能夠為我們揭示當時社會生活的方方面面，因而在美學及歷史研究上均具有極高的價值。
5. 是否發現過其他類似的微型陶器套裝？這些發現又說明瞭什麼？
是的，其他類似的微型陶器套裝主要出土於河南安陽地區的墓葬中。例如，1959年在張盛墓中出土的一套包含燭台、熏香爐、傢具及倉庫模型的微型器物，其銘記的循環記年顯示為公元595年；另有一套在安陽墓中發現，並在1992年的出版物中有所記載。這些發現與本套作品共同表明，此類微型模型主要作為陪葬品出現，其製作目的在於為逝者在來世“備齊”生活所需。部分研究還將其起源歸於池縣的嘉比窯，進一步豐富了對該時期陶器生產與流通的認識。
6. 這些器物為何採用微型比例？它們的用途可能是什麼？
器物採用微型比例正是因為它們作為墓葬隨葬品使用。古人通過製作這些微縮模型，象徵性地替代實物，以期在來世為逝者提供日常生活所需。從傢具、烹飪器具到儲藏用品，均以微型模型形式再現，反映出古人對來世生活保障的殷切期望。
7. 這批陶器所用的釉料有哪些特徵？
它揭示了隋代陶藝技術哪些方面的特點？這些陶器覆蓋著一層透明的淡綠色釉，該釉料施於白質陶坯之上，展示了隋代白器技藝發展的初期成果。雖然釉色呈現出一定的薄弱和不均現象，但其意在追求精緻雅致的白色效果，這一嘗試為後世白瓷的發展奠定了基礎。此外，白質胎體與透明釉面的搭配也與同期其他多為未施釉的陪葬陶器形成了鮮明對比，突顯了隋代陶藝技術的獨特追求。
8. 除了這套微型陶器套裝之外，還有哪些隋代文物有助於我們理解該時期的藝術和文化？
文本中還提到隋代草釉陶塑女性侍從的造像，現藏於大都會藝術博物館。其中一位手持捲軸形凳子，另一位持卵形枕，這些作品與微型陶器套裝中所再現的器物相互印證，表明這些物件確有其實物原型。此類文物共同構成了隋代豐富的物質文化圖景，為研究當時社會生活、宗教信仰及工藝美術提供了多維度的實證。
Reference / 參考
松心閣「蓮心千古」南北朝特展中展出了一套北朝的佛器，釉色淡綠，曾為奉文堂的舊藏。
1959 年在河南安陽張勝墓中發現了一套類似的綠釉石器墓葬傢具，包括非常相似的燭台、香爐、扶手、井蓋、爐子、靴子、拖鞋和兩種類型的儲藏室，墓誌銘包括公元 595 年的紀年。作者認為，這些淡綠色釉的精美白色石器模型產自安陽附近的磁縣，而磁縣的嘉壁窯正是以生產這類器物而聞名。
河南省安陽市發現的一座隋代墓葬中出土的另一套釉面石器微型模型，見《考古》1992 年第 1 期第 32-45 頁和第 79 頁的發掘報告。
紐約大都會藝術博物館收藏了兩尊隋代草釉女侍陶俑，一個手持線軸形凳子，另一個手持卵形枕頭，插圖見《大都會藝術博物館公報》，第 XXXII 卷，第 2 期，1973/1974 年，圖 67。
A similar set of green-glazed stoneware tomb furniture including very similar models of candelabrum, censer, armrest, wellhead, stove, boots, slippers, and both types of storehouses, discovered in 1959 at Anyang, Henan province in the tomb of Zhang Sheng, with an epitaph including a cyclical date corresponding to A.D. 595, is illustrated in Kaogu, 1959, No. 10, pls. 12-13, with line drawings on pp. 543-544, where the author suggests that these fine white stoneware models with pale green glaze were produced in Ci county near Anyang at the Jiabi kilns which were famous for this type of ware.
Another set of glazed stoneware miniature models from a Sui Dynasty tomb also discovered at Anyang, Henan province, is illustrated in an excavation report published in Kaogu, 1992, No. 1, pp. 32-45 and p. 79.
Two straw-glazed pottery figures of female attendants attributed to the Sui Dynasty, one holding a spool-shaped stool and the other holding an ovoid pillow, are in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, illustrated in The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, Volume XXXII, No. 2, 1973/1974, fig. 67.
Sui Dynasty White Glaze Vessel FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Sui Dynasty Miniature Pottery
What is the significance of the Sui Dynasty miniature pottery set described in the text, and where is it currently located? This set of miniature pottery is highly significant as a representative example of Sui Dynasty (581-618 AD) ceramics. It's notable for its fine white stoneware, covered with a pale greenish glaze, and for the remarkable detail in its miniature representations of everyday objects like furniture and vessels. The set is currently part of the collection at the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, having been acquired from J.J. Lally after it was originally purchased by Lam's Gallery in Hong Kong.
What are the distinguishing features of this Sui Dynasty pottery set, particularly in terms of its craftsmanship and materials? The set is made from high-fired white pottery and is covered with a translucent glaze of pale greenish hue, showcasing the nascent stage of white glaze technology at that time. Despite some irregularities in the glaze, the emphasis is on the exquisite modeling and design of the individual pieces. Some pieces show traces of gold foil. The forms replicate everyday objects, including furniture, ritual items, and personal effects with remarkable accuracy and detail, in miniature scale, showcasing the meticulous skill of the artisans.
What kind of objects are included in this particular miniature pottery set? The set is diverse and includes a wide range of miniature representations of daily life and ritual objects. Examples include: a five-socketed candelabrum, a bronze-form ding censer, a lotus-bud censer, an oil lamp, a covered box, a pouring vessel, boots, slippers, an ovoid pillow, a wellhead, a ladle, covered boxes (one with red pigment), a stove, an armrest, a low table (possibly a game board), a stool, a chessboard, a table with turned-up ends, an armrest, small rectangular tables, a storehouse model, and two granary models.
Why is this set considered so rare and important for scholarly study? The set is extremely rare, with no similar sets having come to light for many years. Its value lies not only in its aesthetic beauty but also in its historical significance as a tangible representation of the Sui Dynasty's material culture. The range of objects depicted provides valuable insights into the daily life, rituals, and artistic techniques of the period. It is valuable to research both aesthetically and historically.
Are there other similar sets of miniature pottery that have been discovered, and what do they tell us? Yes, other similar sets have been discovered, primarily from tombs in the Anyang region of Henan province. One such set, discovered in the 1959 tomb of Zhang Sheng, included models of candelabra, censers, furniture, and storehouses, and bore a cyclical date corresponding to 595 AD. Another set was discovered in an Anyang tomb and was documented in a 1992 publication. These discoveries, along with this particular set, suggest that these miniature models served as tomb furnishings. They confirm the Jiabi kilns of Ci county as the possible origin point of such wares.
What is the significance of the miniature scale of this pottery, and how were these items likely used? The miniature scale of these items is indicative of their use as grave goods. These models were likely intended to serve as symbolic replacements for real objects in the afterlife. By including items from daily life such as furniture, cooking and storage equipment, and personal items, the intention was to provide for the deceased's needs in the next world.
What kind of glaze was used on this pottery, and what does it reveal about the pottery techniques of the Sui Dynasty? The pottery is covered in a translucent pale greenish glaze over the white stoneware. This use of a white-bodied ceramic with a clear glaze is indicative of the early stage of the development of white porcelain. It demonstrates an attempt to create a sophisticated look with white ware, even if the glaze wasn't yet fully developed. The use of this white stoneware also provides a contrast with other funerary pottery which was often unglazed.
Besides the miniature pottery set, what other examples of Sui Dynasty artifacts contribute to our understanding of the period's art and culture? The text also mentions Sui Dynasty straw-glazed pottery figures of female attendants in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, one holding a spool-shaped stool and another holding an ovoid pillow, supporting the idea that the objects depicted in the miniature sets were indeed used in daily life. These pieces provide context for the miniature sets, showing that they were miniaturized recreations of real objects. The discovery of these figures and sets highlight the rich cultural context of the Sui Dynasty and inform us about life during the period.
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