COLLECTION NAME:
National Palace English
Record
Work ID:
M01C00168
Title:
Jade carving of the auspicious sheep and phoenix motifs
Creation Date:
Qing Dynasty
Start Year Date:
A.D.1644
End Year Date:
A.D.1911
Dynasty:
63 Qing Dynasty (A.D. 1644~1911)
Creation Place:
China
Measurements:
Length: 13.9 cm; Width: 5.5 cm; Height: 11.0 cm; Weight: 952.3g
Material:
Jade
Type:
Jades and Other Precious Stones
Subject:
Animals
Repository:
The National Palace Museum, Taipei
Description:
This sculpture imitates three goats looking up to the rising sun. Three sculpted goats sit among a cloud, and one of them holds a lingzhi in the mouth. All are looking up to the sun that rises in the middle. The sun is embossed with a phoenix. A decorative motif with three goats, a phoenix, and a sun symbolizes an auspicious omen to come, which is the season change from winter to spring when days become long and nights short. Moreover, in ancient China, the Chinese character "goat" is sometimes used for another character, "auspicious," and thus, three goats can also be interpreted as three auspicious phenomena. Therefore, three goats looking up to the sun is an extraordinary auspicious decorative motif. Moreover, a phoenix, that symbolizes an eternal creature that only rests on the Tung tree, combined with the sun represents a peaceful heaven and earth. The stand is made of red elm wood and has five knots at the bottom. It is chased with bamboo, asters, and lake pebbles.
ImageV ID:
M01C00168AS001
Rights:
Lee & Lee Communications