Lee acquired this archaic Chinese jade during the 1950s, when little was known about the type.
He acquisitioned it for purely aesthetic reasons, explaining that the "object impresses one in part
by its size, which is huge for an early jade, and in part by its powerful silhouette and simply
sculptured surfaces." Only after several decades of archaeological work could we eventually establish its connection with the new discoveries from the prehistoric Hongshan culture of northeast China. Lee’s career reflects a lifetime of dedicated research and discovery. In 1998, he curated the exhibition China 5,000 Years to highlight "the art of an ancient culture with particular relation to innovation and creativity."
