Detail View: National Palace English: Gold ru-yi scepter, inscribed with the His characters

Work ID: 
M010F0015
Title: 
Gold ru-yi scepter, inscribed with the His characters
Creation Date: 
Qing Dynasty, dated 1922
Start Year Date: 
A.D.1922
End Year Date: 
A.D.1922
Dynasty: 
73 Xuan-tong reign (A.D. 1909~1911)
Creation Place: 
China
Measurements: 
Length: 35.5 cm; Width(head): 12.0 cm; Height: 7.2 cm; Weight: 724.3g
Material: 
Gold
Form: 
Ru-yi scepter
Type: 
Ru-yi scepters
Repository: 
The National Palace Museum, Taipei
Description: 
A Ruyi with three inlays. Throughout the surface, the piece is decorated with the Swastika, (pronounced "wan" in Chinese), a mystical Buddhist emblem that means good fortune and virtue found often in Buddhist Classics. The head, heart-shaped with wavy edges, is decorated with the carved character, xi, which means double happiness, and is surrounded by butterflies. The bulged middle is carved another xi and butterflies on a pentagonal inlay. The upper part of the stem and the lower part are also decorated with butterflies holding xi. The back is blank, except on the head and tip. The head is chased with a double-coin pattern, and the tip is chased with ancient-coin pattern. Coins have holes in the center and have been a decorative motif to symbolize the human eyes, to mean "coming," or "in the eyes." Furthermore, a number of names are stamped, such as gold-inscribed Dunganshifang in kai-shu (or chancery style), Yuanjing in a rectangular stamp, and Beijingzhichenlou in a club-shaped stamp. The tip is attached with a pair yellow tassels and a purple-red decorative knot knitted into the xi character.
ImageV ID: 
M010F0015AS006
Rights: 
Lee & Lee Communications