Artwork Page for Miniature Mountain with Daoist Paradise

Details / Information for Miniature Mountain with Daoist Paradise

Miniature Mountain with Daoist Paradise

1736–95

China, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong reign

(1736–95)
Medium
green jade with brown markings
Measurements
Overall: 17.5 cm (6 7/8 in.)
Credit Line
Anonymous Memorial Gift 1941.594
Public Domain
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Location
240B Chinese Decorative Arts
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The bearded immortal is accompanied by a servant carrying a cluster of peaches, symbols of immortality.

Description

Sizable jade boulders of mountainous landscapes were carved to represent the search for the paradise or immortals' dwellings in the mountains. This Daoist theme has fired the Chinese imagination throughout history. Believed to have spiritual and magical properties, jade has long been used in tombs and intended for preserving the corporeal body and the soul in the quest for eternity. It is recorded that Daoist practitioners drank morning dews with scraps of jade as an elixir of immortality.
A pale green jade stone tinged with brown depicts a miniature mountain landscape. The upright, rounded rock features a pavilion with a tiered roof and walkway on a central cliff. Below, to our left, two small figures stand near gnarled pine trees with clustered foliage. Deeply recessed areas form shadows suggesting caves and rocky crevices. Where the stone is carved thin, it appears lighter. Intricate patterns define the pine needles and architectural details.

Miniature Mountain with Daoist Paradise

1736–95

China, Qing dynasty (1644–1911), Qianlong reign (1736–95)

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