Five Chinese famille rose yellow-ground cups and... Lot n° 596

Five Chinese famille rose yellow-ground cups and saucers with 'four arts 四藝' decoration, Yongzheng Dia.: 11 cm (the saucer) Dia.: 6,5 cm - H.: 3,5 cm (the cup) The four arts (四藝, siyi), or the four arts of the Chinese scholar, were the four main academic and artistic talents required of the aristocratic ancient Chinese scholar-gentleman. They were the mastery of the qin (the guqin, a stringed instrument, 琴), qi (the strategy game of Go, 棋), shu (Chinese calligraphy, 書) and hua (Chinese painting, 畫), and are also referred to by listing all four: 琴棋書畫; qinqishuhua;. (source: Wikipedia)