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Lot Essay
‘Three Laughs at Tiger Brook’ originates from the Biographies of the Eminent Worthies of the Lotus Society. According to legend, the eminent Eastern Jin monk Huiyuan (334–416) resided at Donglin Temple on Mount Lu under a strict precept never to past the Tiger Brook. One day, the poet Tao Yuanming (c. 365–427) and the Daoist master Lu Xiujing (406–477) visited him. Deep in philosophical discourse, Huiyuan unwittingly accompanied his guests past the creek. As the mountain tiger roared to sound a warning, the three gentlemen suddenly realized they had crossed the threshold and burst into spontaneous laughter before parting ways. Bringing together key representatives of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, this celebrated anecdote symbolises the philosophical ideal of the unity of the three teachings, while conveying a profound wisdom that transcends dogmatic boundaries to embrace spiritual freedom.
The reverse of the present snuff bottle is finely carved with the Hehe Erxian with a bat in flight. The twin immortals govern interpersonal harmony and marital bliss, while the bat signals auspicious blessing of good fortune.
Carved from a lustrous white jade, the artisan skilfully utilised the stone’s natural russet skin, creating a vivid composition. The iconography on both sides complements each other by merging scholarly philosophical retreat with secular blessings of joy and fortune. For a closely related Suzhou School white jade snuff bottle carved with a scholar admiring a rock, formerly in the collection of Rachelle R. Holden, sold at Christie’s New York, 24 March 2022, lot 804 (fig. 1). Compare also a Suzhou school carved black and white jade snuff bottle, from the J & J Collection, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 30 November 2020, lot 3093 (fig. 2).
The reverse of the present snuff bottle is finely carved with the Hehe Erxian with a bat in flight. The twin immortals govern interpersonal harmony and marital bliss, while the bat signals auspicious blessing of good fortune.
Carved from a lustrous white jade, the artisan skilfully utilised the stone’s natural russet skin, creating a vivid composition. The iconography on both sides complements each other by merging scholarly philosophical retreat with secular blessings of joy and fortune. For a closely related Suzhou School white jade snuff bottle carved with a scholar admiring a rock, formerly in the collection of Rachelle R. Holden, sold at Christie’s New York, 24 March 2022, lot 804 (fig. 1). Compare also a Suzhou school carved black and white jade snuff bottle, from the J & J Collection, sold at Christie’s Hong Kong, 30 November 2020, lot 3093 (fig. 2).