Group of carvings of peach stones (detail)

Add to album

This small carving is one of a group depicting lively scenes of the zoological and natural world. Every scene is executed with great precision and is carved out of the small area of a half-stone of a peach.

This detail shows a crab with ears of grain. The Chinese words for grain (he) and for crab (xie), when put together, sound like the words for harmony, also pronounced "hexie". So these images are a kind of visual pun, conveying the wish for harmony.

The small dimensions of the material make the carving an object for close appreciation.

Record details

To search on related items, click any underlined text below.

• Online ID: 000-190-001-299-C
• Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland
• Project: National Museums Scotland
  Project description   View all records in project
• Ref: National Museums Scotland  A.1894.244
• Date: 19th century
  
• Material: Peach stone
  Carving
  
• Dimensions: 10 mm H x 21 mm L x 16 mm W
  
• What: Carving
  
• Subject: Ivory
  
• Who:
• Where: China
  
• Event:
• Description: Peach stone delicately carved in an open design, oval, and one of six: China
  
• References:
• Translations:
• Related Records: