XIEZHU ZHUREN ZAO MARK IN GILDING, DAOGUANG PERIOD (1821-1850)

The four-character seal mark, Xie zhu zhu ren, may be translated as 'Master of the Xie Bamboo'. Xie (cutting), is the name of a valley in the Kunlun mountains. There, during the reign of the 'Yellow Emperor' Huangdi, it is said the first musical scale was made from varying lengths of cut bamboo.