Pendentif en jade blanc sculpté Chine, dynastie Qing, marque et époque Qianlong (1736-1795)

en forme de disque bi ajouré, finement sculpté des quatre caractères Chang yi zisun et de quatre phénix archaïsants, le disque surmonté de deux phénix affrontés sous un nuage stylisé, un côté incisé d'une marque à quatre caractères Qianlong nianzhi, l'autre d'une inscription Cai zi yibai liushiqi hao (numéro 167 de Cai)

The plaque is in good condition with the exception of a few minor nibbling to the edges. The colour of the stone is a fraction more celadon in tone (less white) than the catalogue illustration would suggest.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This expertly carved piece is based on the bi, an ancient ritual disc that according to Han ritual texts and commentaries symbolised Heaven. A closely related example in the Qing Court collection and still in Beijing, is published in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Jadeware (III), Hong Kong, 1995, pl. 127; one was sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 27^th April 2003, lot 3, and was included in the exhibition A Romance with Jade from the De An Tang Collection, Palace Museum, Beijing, 2004, cat. no. 21; another in the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, is illustrated in James C.S. Lin, The Immortal Stone. Chinese Jades from the Neolithic Period to the Twentieth Century, Cambridge, 2009, pls 77a and 77b; and a fourth example was sold in our Hong Kong rooms, 8^th April 2011, lot 2805.

For the prototype of this bi, see a large disc decorated with a pair of dragons in ornate openwork, excavated in the tomb of Liu Sheng (d. 113BC) at Mancheng, Hebei province, illustrated in Zhongguo meishu quanji yuqi, vol. 9, Beijing, 1991, pl. 164. See also a bi attributed to the Eastern Han dynasty (AD25-220) similarly carved with chilong flanking the character chang le (happiness) in openwork carving above a disc, in the Qing Court collection and still in Beijing, included in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum. Jadeware (I), Hong Kong, 1995, pl. 217; together with a bi carved with a dragon and two phoenix, attributed to the Western Han dynasty (206BC-AD9),  pl. 215.