AN INSCRIBED BURLWOOD PEACH SIGNED DING HAO, QING DYNASTY, DAOGUANG PERIOD, DATED TO THE JIAWU YEAR (IN ACCORDANCE WITH 1834)

the irregular form wrought out as a peach accentuated by raised burls against densely striated grains, inscribed in xingshu below the distinctive curved tip yaodao changchun (‘eternal springtime at jasper isle’), the date incised to the base of the carving followed by the signature Ziran

Acquired in Hong Kong, prior to February 1978.

Ding Hao (active mid-nineteenth century), personal name Ziran, sobriquet Songting ('Pine Pavilion'), was a court official, originally from Baofeng in Henan. Ding attained the jinshi degree in 1838. He was appointed Jiangnan circuit investigating censor in 1851, and subsequently served in that office for the Jiangxi circuit. His highest office was prefect of Guangzhou prefecture.