A RARE BLUE AND WHITE 'ROMANCE OF THE WESTERN CHAMBER' SQUARE VASEKangxi six-character mark and of the period Heavily potted with four tapering sides surmounted by a waisted cylindrical neck with flaring mouth-rim, the body painted in bold tones of cobalt-blue with a scene of a gentleman with a queue holding a fly-whisk and seated before a dignitary in front of a screen, another side with a scholar and monk emerging from a pavilion with two ladies gazing at them, another side with mounted soldiers charging towards each other, the fourth side with a lady peering out from the window of a tall pavilion, gazing at a scholar and boy-attendant carying a guqin . 49.8cm (19 1/2in) high. 清康熙 青花「西廂記」方瓶 Provenance: a Bavaria, Germany private collection, by repute Sotheby's London, 15 May 2007, lot 68 來源:德國巴伐利亞私人收藏（擬） 蘇富比倫敦，2007年5月15日，拍品68 The present vase depicts scenes from the popular 13th century drama Xixiang Ji (西廂記), or 'The Romance of the Western Chamber'. The play narrates a secret love affair between the young scholar Zhang Sheng, and Cui Yingying, daughter of a chief minister. Although scholar Zhang and Cui Yingying fell in love with each other at a Buddhist monastery, Cui Yingying's mother disapproved of the match because of Zhang's low status. Yingying's maid Hongniang, however, took pity on them and arranged to bring them together in a secret union. When Yingying's mother discovered what had happened, she reluctantly agreed to a formal marriage on the condition that Zhang must pass the Civil Service examination. To the joy of the young lovers, Zhang Sheng passes, is appointed to high office, and the two are finally married. See two blue and white vases, Kangxi six-character marks and of the period, of this type illustrated in Seventeenth Century Chinese Porcelain from the Butler Family Collection , Alexandria, Virginia, 1990, nos.118 and 120, painted with different scenes of figures in landscape.