Admire the Yuan Dynasty Chiwen of the Hall of the Three Purities at the National Library!

The National Library's Museum of Ancient Books is putting on a spectacular show of the Yongle Palace. The number of national treasures on display is considerable, and the most attractive to me is the glazed chiwen and main ridge of the Hall of the Three Purities. It is said that the chiwen on display this time is an original piece from the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368), previously housed in the Mural Art Museum of Yongle Palace in Shanxi Province. The Yuan Dynasty chiwen of the Hall of the Three Purities is brightly glazed, uniquely shaped, and magnificent, rarely seen in the world. Two tall peacock blue glazed chiwen, originally located at both ends of the main ridge of the roof, were replaced when the Yongle Palace was relocated and stored in the cultural relics warehouse. The chiwen is 3.02 meters high, made of seven pieces of glazed tiles, with a red clay body and peacock blue glaze. In terms of shape, the chiwen is coiled, with its mouth open to swallow the ridge, its eyes wide open and bright, and its surface decorated with patterns such as Hu people offering treasures, the God of Wind, the God of Rain, and flowing clouds; the back beast has its eyes wide open, its tail claws extending upward and inward, and its tail tip curving outward. The main ridge is the highest ridge of the building's roof. As the junction of the front and rear slopes of the roof, the main ridge occupies an important position both structurally and visually. The main ridge of the Hall of the Three Purities in Yongle Palace is special, with no ridge brake, and both sides are decorated with raised patterns of chrysanthemums, lotuses, double phoenixes, ascending dragons, peony pouches, and two dragons playing with pearls, which correspond to each other on the left and right, with slightly different shapes. The ridge is decorated with bright flowers, mottled glaze, and yellow, green, and blue colors, which are the best of Yuan Dynasty glazed tiles. The glazed flower dragon and phoenix ridge of the Hall of the Three Purities in Yongle Palace, with its magnificent momentum, created a precedent for the flower ridge tube in later generations, representing the highest achievement of Yuan Dynasty glazed art, and is a perfect combination of the beauty of ancient architectural modeling and color. 👍