The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 19, 2025

Scepter (Gui) with Miscellaneous Poems by Tao Qian (365–427 CE)

1122 or later

China, Possibly Qing dynasty

(1644-1911), Qianlong period (1736-1795)
translucent white jade
Overall: 2.8 x 0.3 cm (1 1/8 x 1/8 in.)
Gift of Mrs. John Lyon Collyer in memory of her mother, Mrs. G. M. G. Forman 1960.278
Location: 240B Chinese Decorative Arts

Description

This piece derives its shape from the ancient jade scepter known as gui. On both sides of the jade surfaces are the inscribed texts "Miscellaneous Five-Character Poems by the Jin Poet Tao Qian" engraved in minuscule characters, with a reference indicating that the piece was made by the jade workshop of the Xiuneisi Office in 1122 of the Xuanhe reign. This Northern Song attribution is, nevertheless, questionable.
  • ?–1960
    Mrs. John Lyon [Georgia Forman Elliott] Collyer [1898–1994], Akron, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    1960–
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Watt, James C. Y. Chinese Jades from Han to Chʻing. New York: Asia Society, in association with J. Weatherhill, 1980.
    Riddell, Sheila. Dated Chinese Antiquities, 600-1650. London: Faber and Faber, 1979. p. 169, cat. 141
  • Chinese Jades from Han to Ch'ing. Asia House Gallery, New York, NY (?-October 9, 1980); The Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, MI (January 12-February 22, 1981); Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA (March 26- May 10, 1981); Honolulu Academy of Arts, Honolulu, HI (May 17-September 13, 1981).
  • {{cite web|title=Scepter (Gui) with Miscellaneous Poems by Tao Qian (365–427 CE)|url=false|author=|year=1122 or later|access-date=19 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1960.278