纪录片《大英博物馆世界简史》 064大卫对瓶（6）（在线收听）

"Zhang Wenjin, from Jingtang community, Dejiao village, Shuncheng township, Yushan county, Xinzhou circuit, a disciple of the Holy Gods, is pleased to offer a set comprising one incense-burner and a pair of flower vases to General Hu Jingyi at the Original Palace in Xingyuan, as a prayer for the protection and blessing of the whole family and for the peace of his sons and daughters. Carefully offered on an auspicious day in the Fourth Month, Eleventh year of the Zhizheng reign."There's a lot of information here. We're told that the vases were purpose-made to be offered as donations at a temple, and that the name of their donor is Zhang Wenjin, who describes himself with great solemnity as a disciple of the holy gods. It gives his home town, Shuncheng in what is now Jiangxi province, a few hundred miles south-west of Shanghai. He was offering these two grand vases along with an incense-burner - the three would have formed a typical set for an altar. The incense-burner has been lost, or at least has not yet been found. The specific deity receiving the offering had only recently become a god. He is General Hu Jingyi, a military figure of the thirteenth century, who was elevated to divine status because of his supernatural power and wisdom, and his ability to foretell the future. Zhang Wenjin's altar set is offered in exchange for this new god's protection.

信州路玉山县顺城乡德教里荆塘社奉圣弟子张文进，喜舍香炉花瓶一副，祈保合家清吉，子女平安。至正十一年四月良辰谨记。星源祖殿，胡净一元帅打供。

这段文字信息量很大。我们了解到瓷瓶的制作目的是为了供奉在寺庙里，供奉者为张文进，他恭敬地自称为“奉圣弟子”。文中提到的他的家乡顺成位于今江西省，在上海西南几百英里外。他供奉了一对大花瓶和一个香炉（这三件套是常见的供品组合)，但其中的香炉至今未被发现。受供的神明是胡净一元帅，他本是十三世纪的一位名将，后因超凡的力量与智慧以及预言未来的能力而位列仙班。张文进供奉物品，便是为了祈求他的保佑。