Lot Essay
The ram is a symbol of filial piety, kindness and patience. The three rams, san yang, are also an auspicious motif, related both to the sun and to male children, as they provide a rebus for san yang kai tai, 'the opening up of the new growth in spring', which in turn symbolizes happiness and good fortune.
Compare with a jade group of the three rams in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum - Jadeware (III), Hong Kong, 1995, pl. 88. See, also, the slightly smaller (14 cm. long) jade san yang group sold in these rooms, 17 September 2008, lot 304.
Compare with a jade group of the three rams in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum - Jadeware (III), Hong Kong, 1995, pl. 88. See, also, the slightly smaller (14 cm. long) jade san yang group sold in these rooms, 17 September 2008, lot 304.