MING DYNASTY (1368-1644)

Each part of the lotus plant bears a different auspicious meaning. The lotus pod (lianfang or liangpeng) symbolizes fertility and augured the early arrival of sons. The combination of the lotus pod with a boy makes the desire for offspring and the continuation of the family line unmistakable. A small jade carving of a boy with lotus pod leaning in a languid position similar to that of the present figure was included in the exhibition, Exquisite Jade Carving: Figures, Animals, Ornaments, Hong Kong, 1996, p. 44, no. 20. The depiction of a reclining boy was not only popular in jade but also in ceramics, such as in ceramic pillows of the Liao, Song and Yuan dynasties.