A small celadon and russet jade figure of a buffalo, Song dynasty | 宋 青白玉帶皮臥牛

Buzhi shuzhai Collection.

Sotheby's Hong Kong, 30th November 2017, lot 5.

The Canton Collection, Hong Kong, and thence by family descent.

不知書齋收藏

香港蘇富比2017年11月30日，編號5

小聽颿樓收藏，香港，此後家族傳承

The reclining buffalo, a symbol of strength as well as tranquillity, is a classic icon. Its bucolic aspect evokes the simple and true life in the countryside, and as the reputed mount of the philosopher Laozi, the buffalo also has strong Daoist connotations.

The current jade buffalo is finely worked from a pebble of celadon colour, suffused with patches of darker brown which have been skilfully incorporated to denote the natural colour of the animal. Pierced through the back, it would have been treasured by its owner and worn as an accessory. 

臥牛在中國繪畫裏代表寧靜致遠﹑柔能克剛，歌詠田園生活的悠然自得。同時，水牛作為老子的座騎，隱喻著道家的哲學思維。

本品青玉瑩潤，保留褐皮，刻畫傳神，栩栩如生。其背部小洞可供繫戴，隨身把玩，難能可貴。