The imagery depicted in this carving appears to be an adaptation of a theme found on early bronze weights and vessels depicting an eagle, ying, seated on the back of a bear, xiong, forming the rebus Ying xiong, champion or hero. The theme became increasingly stylised during Qing dynasty interpretations as can be seen on a white jade vase from the Alan and Simone Hartman Collection, sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 28th November 2006, lot 1382 where the eagle is depicted as a phoenix-like bird and the bear as a lion-like mythical beast.

Compare with a stylistically similar carving of two birds in the National Palace Museum, Taipei, illustrated in Masterpieces of Chinese Miniature Crafts in the National Palace Museum, Japan, 1971, col. pl. 12.