Rock-form ornament with poem composed by the Qianlong Emperor

China

Not on view

This unusual “rock” was carved from a pale-green jade boulder to resemble a highly appreciated type of scholar’s rock from Lake Tai. The scalloped surface on such rocks is shaped over a long time by underwater erosion. The flat surface of the top corner is incised with the Qianlong Emperor’s poem, dated spring 1757, expressing his wonder at the strange form of the rock and connecting it with another famous scenic spot, Feilai Hill, or Peak Flew Hither, in Hangzhou.

Rock-form ornament with poem composed by the Qianlong Emperor, Jade (nephrite), China

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Rock-form ornament with poem composed by the Qianlong Emperor, Jade (nephrite), China
Rock-form ornament with poem composed by the Qianlong Emperor, Jade (nephrite), China
Rock-form ornament with poem composed by the Qianlong Emperor, Jade (nephrite), China

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