An imperially inscribed and inlaid zitan ruyi sceptre, Qing dynasty, Qianlong period | 清乾隆 紫檀御題詩嵌百寶如意

The present ruyi sceptre is inscribed with a poem titled Gui (Cassia)by the Qianlong Emperor.  It is the third of six five-syllable quatrains and is recorded in the Yuzhi shiji (Imperial Poetry Collection) compiled in the Siku quanshu (Library of the Four Treasuries), second collection (ji), 89:19a, and can be translated as follows:

Yuzhi (Made by His Majesty)

Its blossoms hold the noble man within,

How could the tree itself not contain the Golden Immortal?

It raised its hands up towards the heavens,

To the new moon beside the Milky Way.

The present sceptre is a striking example of the elegant and complementary combination of inscription and decoration. The Qianlong emperor was a passionate poet and essayist, composing over 40,000 poems during his life. While innumerable imperial items, such as porcelain, jades and carvings, were adorned with his poems, it is rare to find zitan sceptres inscribed with an imperial poem. The tranquillity of this eulogy is further accentuated by the simple and subdued carved spray of blossoms and the inlaid lychees.

The sceptre itself and the motifs that adorn this piece are rich in symbolism. Ruyi sceptres are a talisman presented to bestow good fortune, and the auspicious lychees (lizhi) represent the wish for many sons to carry on the family name, while lizhi is also a pun for 'clever'. Sceptres date back to pre-Tang (618-907) times, and its origins are associated with Buddhism when it was used as a back-scratcher. With the decline in Buddhism during the latter half of the Tang period, the heart-shaped head was often rendered as a longevity fungus (lingzhi). As the sceptre gradually lost its practical purpose, they became highly ornamental and were designed in any shape that was considered suitable for its use a secular good luck charm. During the Qing dynasty, sceptres became imperial objects as its auspicious nature combined with the choice of material and high level of craftsmanship made sceptres the perfect imperial gifts. They were bestowed by the emperor to worthy officers and loyal subjects. Both the Yongzheng and Qianlong emperors had themselves painted holding ruyi sceptres, but the Qianlong emperor was particularly fond of them and owned an extensive collection.

Compare a wooden sceptre of related form and design sold in our London rooms, 19^th December 1980. Several elaborately carved and decorated zitan inlaid sceptres from the National Palace Museum were included in the exhibition China. The Three Emperors 1662-1795, The Royal Academy of Arts, London, 2005, cat. nos. 276, 277, 280.