CHINESE BASKETS by Berthold Laufer Curator of Anthropology 38 Plates V*! Anthropology Design Series No. 3 FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY Chicago 1925 CHINESE BASKETS by Berthold Laufkr Curator of Anthropology 38 Plates ff'S NATURAL Kf^ ''< HISTORY ^^ 5^;, fr|Tf ^;;^|j Anthropology Design Series No. FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY Chicago 1925 CHINESE BASKETS PREFACE The baskets of the North American Indians have attracted a great deal of attention, resulting in an enormous literature both technical and popular in character, which is concerned with their technique and designs. The basketry of the natives of the Philippines, Hawaii, and New Zealand has elicited a few monographs, but, as far as I know, the baskets of China have never been studied by any one. The mere fact of their existence is not even mentioned in the current books on China and the Chinese. Yet, since earliest times, baskets have occupied a prominent position in Chinese civilization, although naturally, owing to climatic and soil conditions, no ancient baskets have survived. In the ancient Book of Songs ( Shi king ) and in the ancient Rituals occur many terms for various kinds of baskets, but contemporaneous descriptions of these are lacking, and we hardly receive more than a very general idea of their appearance. We read of round baskets of bamboo, of square shallow baskets of bamboo or straw, or of square baskets in which eatables or clothes were preserved. The young bride offered to her father-in-law fruit in a basket. It was a famous maxim in the good old times that men and women should not touch each others' hands and that when a man wanted to make a gift to a woman, she should receive the object in a basket. We also hear of baskets used for specific industrial purposes; thus, for instance, as fish-traps set at the openings of dams, and, above all, in the silk industry.which was the main occupation of women. The tender leaves of the mulberry on which the silkworm feeds were gathered in deep baskets, and a square type of basket served for depositing the cocoons. Even at present basket trays play an important part in the rearing of silkworms (Plate I). Baskets also were utilized in funeral ceremonies and filled with cereals as food for the departed soul, being placed near the coffin. This custom is still perpetuated by the farmers living in the environ- ment of Peking, who bury with their dead an oval basket plaited of willow-twigs. In ordinary life this vessel serves the purpose of a grain-measure, holding one pint; when used as a mortuary vessel, the wooden hoop around the rim is re- moved, and food is stored up in the basket ( for illustration see Laufer, Chinese Potter\^ of the Han Dynasty, Plate 75, No. 5). There is a certain degree of interrelation of basketry, pottery and metal vessels. In the case just cited the mortuary basket is a substitute for a pottery urn which is usually deposited in the grave in the provinces of Chi-li, Shan-tung, and Kiang-su. There are two ancient types of rectangular baskets known asfu and kivei and used for boiled grain at sacrifices and ceremonial feasts; they are preserved only in pottery and bronze (for illustrations, see op. cit., Plate 25, and Art in America, October, 1925, Fig. 4), which give us at least a vague idea of what they may have looked like in basketry. On the other hand, there are ancient sacrificial vessels of tazza shape in pottery and bronze, which at present have survived in basket form in the worship of Confucius and his disciples (Plate 38) . There is a fundamental difference between the baskets of northern China and those of the central and southern portions of the country. In the north they are part and parcel of the rural population, plain, practical, strong, durable, chiefly for agricultural purposes, as collecting and carrying earth and manure, winnowing, storing grain, or used as means of transportation (hamper and dossers) . These being exclusively of ethnological interest have not been included in this publication, which is devoted to the artistic baskets whose home is in the Yangtse Valley and the country stretching southward. Here we meet in full development the flower basket with a great variety of shapes and graceful handles, the picnic basket with padlock, the neat travelling basket in which women carry their articles of toilet, and the "examination basket" in which candidates visiting the provincial capital for the civil service examinations enclosed their books and writing-materials, also the cozy for tea-pots, more practical and efficient than our thermos-bottles, and the curious pillow of basketry weave. The basket boxes with raised and gilded relief ornaments are also characteristic of the south. In accordance with the general interest in Chinese art and art industries in this country, there is now also a considerable interest in and demand for Chinese baskets. They make a ready appeal to our esthetic sense on account of their elegance of shape, variety of design, and other artistic features, not to speak of usefulness of purpose. Chinese genius has developed baskets along lines un- known in other countries; it was not merely satisfied with creating pleasing forms and attractive decorations, but also endeavored to combine basketry with other materials like wood, metal, and lacquer, and to enliven and embellish its appearance through the application of processes originally foreign to the indus- try. The covers of many baskets display a finely polished, black lacquer surface on which landscapes or genre pictures are painted in gold or red. Others are decorated with metal fittings (of brass or white metal) finely chased or treated in open work. Delicate basketry weaving is applied to the exterior of wooden boxes and chests, even to silver bowls and cups, as may be seen in the exhibits (at present at the south end of the west gallery). In this association with other modes of technique Chinese basketry has taken a unique development which should be seriously studied and considered by our own industrial art-workers. In accordance with the object of this design series, this publication does not aim at a scientific study of the subject, but is primarily intended for the designer, craftsman, and art student. Nevertheless it is hoped that the technical student of basketry also will find it useful and instructive, as full information as to weave and design is given in the plates for each object. The locality where each object was made is noted, and as the collection is fairly comprehensive, it gives an ade- quate view of what types of baskets are made in middle and southern China. The technique of some Chinese baskets is described and illustrated in an article by L. Parker, "Some Com- mon Baskets of the Philippines" in The Philippine Craftsman (Vol. Ill, No. 1, Manila, 1914), and in another study by E. M. Ayres and L. Duka, "Basketry Weaves in Use in the Philippines," in the same journal (Vol. V, No. 5, 1916), as many types of baskets used in the Philippines are either made by Chinese or by the native tribes after Chinese models. Illustrations of Japanese baskets may be consulted in the monograph of J. Conder, "Theory of Japanese Flower Arrangements" (Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, Tokyo, Vol. XVII, 1889, Plates 11, 44, 60, 61, 64) and in an article by C. Holme, "The Uses of Bamboo in Japan" (Transactions of the Japan Society of London, Vol. I, 1893; see also Vol. V, 1902, p. 50 and Plate V). >- p BB T3 60 8 ^ T3- 5 5 HI G S § S ^ •s.s-g "5 .9 rt 3 < 5= S ^ 9 ^'■^'s o „ c 5 S s'S pa ■S-c s a> c/3 cd s a ■o t.,'3 Cl. z « 1^^ E E ga ■c C.S !,, OJ c4 0) O4 ■a ti—- k j:3 O z "J o o o „ •S-o 2 S > > o ci.'S ° c car c =f J ^ c o 2 I "S i > g = S 6 g •" ii. •- J- o-g-^ z :5 O oT c -g, c '3 -^ •3 >T3 c S C 0) 5.S 3 FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY. ANTHROPOLOGY, DESIGN SERIES NO. 3, PLATE X. In shape of a boat, with double handle. OLD FLOWER BASKET. Made of dark bamboo in open, twined, and coiled weaves. WEN-CHOU, CHE-KIANG. Height S^S inches. Length 14 inches. Width loK inches. Cat. No. 126183. Traces of gold paint on base and rim. ■So B . a (3 O OJ . o ■d b 7 ^ ^' B o a "S S _g « ? -S " tflf-H H rt o " • O.C S c3 ? f cj c I ^ -^5 08 CJ3 E Of 2.2 S S5 •5 o 2 H FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY. ANTHROPOLOGY. DESIGN SERIES NO. 3, PLATE XV. WICKERWARE BASKET. Of coil weave, fitted with a porcelain tea-pot. The spout projects through a perforation in the lock, making it possible to pour without removing the pot from the cozy. The hinges are in shape of double coins, and the hook for fastening is in form of a fish. CANTON, KWANG-TUNG. Height 7K inches. Diameter g inche Cat. No. 126174. PILLOW OF RATTAN STRIPS. Hollow. The ends are ornamented with strips of black in twilled weave of square pattern. CANTON, KWANG-TUNG. Height s inches. Length isK inches. Width s'V inches. Cat. No. 126176. ><3 ■2.S .5f ^ in oi-O ^ ° o g c ■| "* S CO g : a ' 'Si 8 E "s r-H ^ o ^ c +J c ^ •d c o .i~i o 5 & - ca z n >h o-Q o o •d ^ c -M z c 3 5 £ O S O- (0 B f SS c I" 1^ ° _h o -g & aj Qj" S _C ^ J § £ o-d-S ? 3 O D* FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY. ANTHROPOLOGY, DESIGN SERIES NO. 3, PLATE XIX. CIRCULAR CARRYING BASKET. Made in two compartments, with black-lacquered handle, of fine bamboo split, in checker and twined weaves. The cover is decorated with a painting in gold outlines, representing two women, one mending a garment, the other painting silk fans. CH'ENG HIEN, SHAO-HING FU, CHE-KIANG. Height gl-i inches. Diameter 8J^ inches. Cat. No. 1 26166. CIRCULAR BASKETS. Made of brown bam.boo, in checker weave of two layers. No handles. KI-AN FU, KIANG-SI. Height 3M and 3 inches, respectively. Diameter 7 and 4K inche-s, respectively. Cat. Nos. 136193, 136194. OLD OVAL BOX. For keeping cakes. Covered with basketry in checker weave and trimmed with brass mounts and double handle. Hinged lid with brass lock. Cover, base, and edges lacquered black. Height 3K inches. Length 10 inches* Cat. No. 12621.?. FIELD MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY. ANTHROPOLOGY, DESIGN SERIES NO. 3, PLATE XX. CIRCULAR LACQUER BOX. The brown lacquer is ornamented with designs in gold and red. The centre of the cover is occupied by an ornamental form of the character shou ("longevity"), surrounded by five bats {wufu) symbolizing five kinds of bless- ing (wufu): old age, wealth, health, love of virtue, and natural death. On the sides are the eight Buddhistic emblems of luck, alternating with the character "double joy" {shwang hi). FUCHOW, FU-KIEN. Height 3M> inches. Diameter 8Vj inches. CIRCULAR BASKET WITH COVER. Made in coiled, twined, and interlaced weaves of extreme fineness. Partially painted gold and red. The handle is surmounted by a ring. K'lEN-LUNG PERIOD (1736-95). Height 4% inches. Diameter S'/i inches. Cat. No. 126203. OCTAGONAL BASKET. Base, trimmings, and cover of wood. Basketry in double layers; on the exterior, split bamboo in checker and twined weaves; in the interior, twilled weaving in yellow and brown. The painting on the black-lacquered cover represents a mother holding a child ; two boys are engaged in wrestling. CH'ENG HIEN, SHAO-HING FU, CHE-KIANG. Height 6Vs inches. Diameter lo'/l> inches. Cat. No. 12616SB. n !3 •B I ^ >> ? c o > ri o - DC EC c o < otc O r 1 3 rt S 2 4) S 2? ^5 > o T3 bi) b C u 3 II . &^ •S^ S " O t C " « ■" "bi^ "ca o 13 'S. § bCM C g o XI c g > o o. OJ •a-d j=; ^ CuO o -♦-> M c .c C & •SS i a & a >^n3 g "S ;= & t^ ■? c C o >> o ri d ^ •a 3 1 & _o •a ^ t-i E s >2 J3 •s a & H tU i^l. •do C w) t- C rt (/I ■"^ Si . o V a c O 0--D 8 >^S few W z .2 g CT3 "0 a II SI ^ > .s-s CO Ot3 n g^ § •§ I .5 a- ^ ^-. t/i '^ 3 fie" J= C O o c rt •a j-^ <« ° ^ E-a 2 -c g 11 ni o &^* 3 (U *" |g-a o-- g. 1-i u 5« C 03 s s "I go S > .2 c ■= aj g = >i;,2 ■^ ^^ en ^§& "* S ?^ aj J-; (U s;s (3 -\ g -s ►J 2 S£ P'" 'oj 'c3 rn c % B a 1,, & c < J3 C 111 .^:2 O 3.C F-S •a'S o I- a « g O J3 I J "S O " 8 c " o & c *-' o c3 — rt O 4-> ■ *?^ 'a ci> OJ c ■tJ o a ^ u tn ■ §2 tS ■ n ■ ■T3 " "2 c ■^M c fe E ^ o <-> a a u ^^H 7; hE Sot: c 5 a t- ±-g^ .c^^ •^>-= X Ss'S S !8 C m ^ > s C3 = rii: z OJ . - "d— c _i _i Lll l§l > ap < vj-S-g H •n ""S Q •^.s;. _l "--C c «.ti -g S E Sll M Si'" r- — •C!.^ >, aj:S t- 'O c g'Sbt* .2-=J C^ D >J3 w XI -i^.-w ^■S-2 •5; fl ■^ tU ^" 8 ^'S (u & _" = 0* J= ^ ^ a> o S c > ■o-d 3 c c o SS o I- o.Sxi ^ o o • - ti-Q S"5 '^ O o d Q £:§ .: ? S ^>2 >> ; c o s c C - ^^ Oj3 c-5 3 £.2 3 •r; u O S CM ■a cj o ^ C o O r'-S _0 c3 O "* S'^- ^e rt c •° -= 2 •^ oT *^ '5, K -o . ■ t) "' ;^ c g.S U3 O IM oc «• ^5 O 13 -9g H;2 J3 be -*^ C ■si o C oj tii 13 « O O Jj & cj la's c M IS -a i§ OS ■S $ rt^ — .t3 t- ^ -*-» be O SJ] li i.*? Si si I o On R O S' O o > e y > =« ^ ^ ^ o •C ?? .s in 'So •s > 5 ^83 s 3 PRINTED BY FIELD MUSEUM PRESS