Pair of Chinese export porcelain vases inspired by the “Romance of Western Chamber”, Yongzheng.

Rare pair of Chinese export porcelain square vases decorated in opaque enamels from the famille rose (fencai) palette with scenes from domestic daily life possibly inspired by the “Romance of Western Chamber”, c. 1730, Yongzheng reign, Qing dynasty, h. 29,5 cm, 11½ in. 3-14285

Illustrated: Yuan to Qing Ceramics, by A. Varela Santos, 2016/2017, cat. 50.

◆The Western Chamber Romance by Wang Shifu (1271-1368) has enjoyed great popularity since it was written because it is a love story with happy end.

Zhang Sheng, a young scholar went to Chang’an (Xi’an today), China’s capital at the time, to take his exams when he met at a temple Cui Yingying daughter of the prime minister and fell in love with her.

At that moment bandits kidnap them and asked for a ransom. In despair Yingying’s mother promised to marry her to whom saved her. Wang managed that but the mother refused because he was very poor.

Undeterred Sheng and Yingying overcame all the obstacles put in their way and married.

中國外銷瓷粉彩方瓶一對，式樣罕見，瓶身繪以日常家居圖，紋飾或是受了《紅樓夢》的啟發，約1730年，清雍正，高29.5釐米，11½英吋。

圖例：《元代至清代陶瓷》，作者阿.瓦瑞拉.桑托斯，目录 50。

◆《西廂記》為王實甫（1271-1368）所作，這個家喻戶曉的浪漫愛情故事有著完美的結局，因此其從 創作完成以來便家喻戶曉， 大受歡迎。

故事中的張生是一位年輕的書生，在赴京趕考，前往首都長安（今西安）的途中在一間寺廟里裡認識了當朝宰相的女兒崔鶯鶯，兩人墜入愛河。不幸隨後鶯鶯被綁架，歹徒索取贖金。崔母在絕望之際承諾不管是誰救出鶯鶯，她都會將女兒許配給他。張生最終救出鶯鶯，卻不料崔母因其家境貧窮，出爾反爾。

但最終張生和鶯鶯還是克服重重困難，喜結連理。