the head turned back grasping a sinuous sprig of lingzhi in its mouth, the ruyi-shaped nose and facial features delicately carved, a single striated curved horn at the head, the lush mane and tail delineated by fine incising, the underside with defined legs and paws, the stone of an even pale celadon color with faint russet veining at the neck and front legs, wood stand (2)

Purchased in Hong Kong, 1964.

Robert P. Youngman, The Youngman Collection of Chinese Jades from Neolithic to Qing, Chicago, 2008, pl. 158.

Small animal carvings of this type were highly appreciated by the literati who considered them both as utilitarian paperweights and as objects of aesthetic pleasure. The present piece is notable for its balanced proportions and refined carving. The creature's large inquisitive eyes, tucked legs, big paws and flattened ears imbue it with a sense of subdued playfulness. A closely related figure, with similarly fine carving but resting on lingzhi cloud sprays, was included in the exhibition, 80th Anniversary Exhibition of Chinese Jades from Han to Qing, S. Marchant & Sons, London, cat. no. 66.