Celadon Jade Qixia Mountain Boulder Sculpture

This mountain boulder sculpture is made of high-quality celadon jade. It is carved in openwork, following the natural shape of the stone, depicting rocky cliffs, pavilions, temple, and pine and cypress trees, with a winding waterway and a rugged mountain path running from the peak to the base. The Qixia Temple is located in the lower part. The rock face is inscribed in clerical script with the four characters Qi Xia Quan Tu (Complete View of Qixia). The reverse side shows steep cliffs, with old trees growing from crevices and a delicately rendered small bridge amidst the woods.

The Qianlong Emperor visited southern China six times, staying at the foot of Qixia Mountain on five occasions, and composed several poems about it. This piece is thought to have been modelled after a painted scroll titled ‘Complete View of Qixia’.