Vase with "One Hundred Deer" Motif
Not on view
Deer were considered supernatural creatures in premodern China, and they appear frequently in scenes of immortals and magical lands. Here, one hundred deer cavort in a magical landscape of towering pines. This imposing vase carries a second layer of meaning thanks to wordplay: the term for “one hundred deer,” bai lu (百鹿), is a homonym for bailu (百祿), the economic, cultural, and social benefits that could accrue during the course of an official career. The theme can thus be read as a wish to attain a position in government.
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