SIGNED WU XIANG, DATED YONGZHENG CYCLICAL XINHAI YEAR, CORRESPONDING TO 1731 AND OF THE PERIOD

Wu Xiang (1661-1735), with style name Xian Shui, was a civil official during the Kangxi and Yongzheng reigns. He first passed the civil examination in 1713 and was granted a position at the prestigious Hanlin Academy, taking part in the editing of important publications such as Ming Shi (The History of Ming). His career continued to progress under the Yongzheng reign and was promoted as the Minister of Rites. This sceptre, which bears both the signature and seals of Wu Xiang, and a poetic inscription by the famous recluse-poet Tao Yuanming, reflects Wu's ideal of leading a lofty retired life far from the mundane, a sentiment shared by many literati-officials throughout centuries.