Page 63 - Dr Yip April 2017 Poprtable Treasures

The piece is made in honey-coloured precious huanghuali wood 此官皮箱通體黃花梨作，色澤温潤如蜜。箱內的平屜及抽屜內牆、底部均
throughout, including the interior tray and all the interior drawers 用黃花梨木製，而不用官皮箱常見的柴木或鐵力木造，十分講究。兩門高
which are usually made of less expensive soft or tieli wood. Unlike 浮雕樓閣人物，蓮瓣紋座框，都十分特別，似未見別例。鎏金銅活，在黃
standard design guanpixiang, it possesses many unusual features. 花梨家具也十分稀少。此具官皮箱精品，可能是宮廷御用監的作品。
The deeply carved doors with scenes of figures and pavilions, as
well as the stylised lotus base are most unusual. The gilt-bronze 此官皮箱兩開門雕樓閣人物，或為東王公、西王母各端坐椅上，各天官步
hinges, pulls and handles, are also almost unknown in huanghuali 立簇擁左右。西王母和東王公在道教被認為是天界主宰生死的大神，有通
pieces. It may be possible that this piece was made in the Palace 天本領。而門下方的鹿、鶴，是通往天界的瑞獸佳禽。
Workshop.

The carved scene depicted might be that of the Queen Mother of
the West and the King of the East seated amongst their celestial
court officials standing in attendance. The Queen Mother of
the West and the King of the East are considered in Daoism to
be those in control of life or death and to have the power to
communicate with heaven. Deer and cranes, carved on the lower
part of the doors are often depicted carrying celestial figures to
heaven.

PORTABLE TREASURES : THE DR S.Y. YIP COLLECTION 61