清十八至十九世紀 白玉嵌寶描金福壽如意 |

Ruyi sceptres of this magnificent size are rarely fashioned in jade, given the scarcity of good quality boulders large enough to make objects of such impressive dimensions. The present jade sceptre is also notable for the vibrantly coloured inlaid design that was carefully selected for its auspicious connotations. Sceptres of this type were produced from the reign of the Qianlong Emperor (r. 1736-1795), who was so fond of such objects (see Li-tuan Chang and Terese Bartholomew in Emperor’s Treasures. Chinese Art from the National Palace Museum, Taipei, Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, San Francisco, 2016, p. 241).

The ruyi (literally meaning ‘as you wish’) sceptre is a talisman highly favoured for its shape, which resembles the immortality fungus, lingzhi. Both the head and shaft are sumptuously fashioned with bats in jadeite and peaches in rose-quartz, which collectively form the rebus ‘May you have both blessings and longevity’ (fushou shuangquan).

Related embellished white jade ruyi sceptres, attributed to the Qianlong period, include two in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, one decorated with peaches, bats and lingzhi fungus in lapis lazuli, coral and glass, included in the Museum’s exhibition Masterpieces of Chinese Ju-i Scepters in the National Palace Museum, 1995, cat. no. 6, and the other, finely inlaid with various gemstones depicting peaches, narcissus on the ruyi terminal and bamboos, lingzhi and rockwork on the shaft, exhibited in Emperor’s Treasures. Chinese Art from the National Palace Museum, Taipei, op. cit., cat. no. 178. See also one from the Johannssen Family Collection, inlaid with pink tourmaline, coral, lapis lazuli, malachite and turquoise, with a design of bats, bamboo branches, peaches, lingzhi and flowers growing from rockwork, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 1st June 2011, lot 3640; and another encrusted with peonies and peaches in pink tourmaline, jadeite, agate, lapis lazuli and malachite, sold in these rooms, 30th October 1991, lot 491, and again at Christie’s Hong Kong, 26th April 2004, lot 1227.