Page 136 - Bonhams May 11th 2017 London Fine Chinese Art

Taking the main panels on the screen from left
to right:

Panel 1 Panel 2 Panel 3

The first panel on the far left depicts Liu Hai The second panel depicts two sages pointing The third panel depicts three female
tempting his three-legged toad with strings up at two red bats flying in the sky; a pair immortals, probably Guanyin flanked by
of gold coins. Together, they are symbolic (shuang 雙) of bats (fu 蝠), is a rebus for Buddhist lion, Magu carrying the jar containing
of wealth and prosperity. The Chinese word ‘double blessings’ (shuangfu 雙福). Beside the the elixir of immortality, and the Spirit of the
for ‘toad’ is chan (蟾); and in some dialects, sage is a deer (lu 鹿) which is a homophone Well holding a ruyi sceptre, descending from a
the character chan is a homophone to the for ‘emolument’ (lu 祿) and represents palace shrouded in wispy clouds.
character for ‘money’ or qian (錢). Thus, in a success in office. It is possible, therefore, that
dialect, one could easily hear ‘Liu Hai playing the sage next to the deer is a representation
with the toad’ as ‘Liu Hai playing with gold of the Star God of Lu. Across the stream
coins’. Hence the present plaque bears the another grey-bearded sage proffers a peach,
auspicious wish for wealth and good fortune. a symbol of longevity.

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