A RARE WHITE JADE 'HEHE ERXIAN' BOULDER QING DYNASTY, 18TH CENTURY

the large boulder of even white colour with a tinge of pale green, meticulously smoothed, polished and naturalistically worked with a jagged mountainscape laden with overhanging pine trees, carved in varying levels of relief, resulting in a dynamic three-dimensional scene of the 'Hehe erxian' depicted playfully crossing a bridge set amidst a landscape scene laden with large overhanging trees, a small pavilion set on a cliff near the summit, the convex reverse similarly carved with large rocky cliffs and a standing egret beneath ruyi blossoms issuing from the crevices of the rocks, the natural flaws of the boulder skilfully incorporated into the design of the landscape to show the natural contours and crevices of the mountainscape

Yang Boda, Essence of Qing Jades, Chicago, 1995, pp. 122-123.

In overall good condition. There are small chips to one tip of the pavilion top, the tip of the branch of the wutong tree next to the pavilion, the tip of the pine tree branch behind the immortal, as well as the tips of the branch and leaves at the back. Minute nicks to the extremities as can be expected. The catalogue illustration with a yellowish tone.
"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 boulder is striking for the various depths of meticulous carving, from the central figure modelled in the round to the delicately detailed facial features and pine needles. The luminosity of the high-quality stone is accentuated through the careful balance between the smooth plain surfaces which also provides a pleasing aesthetic contrast with the intricate scene. A sense of naturalism is successfully achieved through carefully-observed details such as the gently swaying sleeve of the robe and the different textures of the rocks, pine trees and figures which have been carefully rendered. Furthermore, the irregular shape of the boulder has been incorporated into the design to avoid unnecessary wastage of the precious stone.

The scene depicts the Hehe Erxian, who appear to be crossing a passage in Mount Tiantai. Also known as the Two Immortals of Harmony and Unity, the twins are often identified as the priests Shide and Han Shan, the latter a former monk poet of the Tang dynasty who led a reclusive existence on Mount Tiantai in Zhejiang province after retiring. It was at the Guoqing monastery that he met Shide, a younger monk who worked in the kitchen and scullery. The two became good friends and recited poetry together while working in the monastery and helping the poor in the neighbouring villiages. Always depicted joyful and smiling, the two monks came to represent a blessed union and were believed to preside over happy marriages. The figures gained popularity in the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) and were deified in 1733 by the Yongzheng Emperor (r. 1723-1735).

Jade boulders of this type, elaborately carved to depict a hermit scene in rugged mountains inhabited by Immortals and reclusive scholars, are known as yushan (jade mountain). These carvings were commonly kept on scholar’s desks where they served as vehicles for scholars to be transported to distant and ideal realms. Compact and upright domed boulders modelled with scholars or immortals ascending a path also symbolised the ascending career of the scholar-literti within the civil service.

A similarly carved white jade boulder modelled with a figure in a pavilion amidst a rocky landscape, in the De An Tang collection, was included in the exhibition A Romance with Jade, Palace Museum, Beijing, 2004, cat. no.32; one, carved with scholars and acolytes, was sold in our London rooms, 12th June 2003, lot 47; another, of slightly smaller size, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, was included in The Refined Taste of the Emperor. Special Exhibition of Archaic and Pictorial Jade of the Ch’ing Court, Taipei, 1997, cat. no. 45; and a fourth example was sold in our New York rooms, 8th March 1974, lot 89. See also a jade boulder depicting children, illustrated in Roger Keverne, Jade, London, 1991, p. 150, pl. 53.