Page 97 - The Parry Collection Bonhams London November 2 2021

37 Y
A VERY PALE GREEN JADE ‘LEAPING CARP’
VASE
Qianlong
Crisply carved as a mythical fish with whiskers and
incised scales leaping out from the tempestuous
foaming waves, emanating from lingzhi vapour, the
stone of even very pale-green tone, with hongmu stand.
10.5cm (4 1/8in) high. (2).

£4,000 - 6,000
CNY36,000 - 54,000

清乾隆 青白玉雕魚龍紋花插

Provenance:
Parry Collection, London, and thence by descent

來源：
倫敦Parry家族收藏，並由後人保存迄今

The carp or liyu transforming into a dragon long
is associated with the passing of the Civil Service
examinations, hence forming the pun yutiao
longmen. According to traditional folklore, carp swim
upstream in the Yellow River at Hunan towards the
Dragon Gate waterfall at Longmen. It is said that the
first carp which successfully overcomes the rapids
will transform into a fish-dragon yulong. Such legend
has led to the common saying that, ‘a student
facing his examinations is like a carp attempting to
leap through the Dragon Gate’, which bears the
metaphor for a poor scholar who passes the Civil
Service examinations and becomes a high official.

For related examples of jade vases in the form
of a carp, Qing dynasty, see one illustrated in
Masterworks of Chinese Jade in the National Palace
Museum, Taipei, 1970, no.25; and two examples
illustrated in the Compendium of Collections in the
Palace Museum: Jade 8, Qing Dynasty, Beijing,
2011, nos.167 and 168.

Compare with a jade carp vase, Qianlong, which
was sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 28 May 2019,
lot 157. See also a ‘burnt’ jade ‘leaping carp’ vase,
Qianlong, which was sold at Bonhams London,
11 May 2017, lot 258.

「魚躍龍門」的典故據傳最早出自漢代典籍，河津
一名龍門，黃河自中流下，每逢春之際，有黃鯉魚
逆流而上，得過者便化為龍；後以此喻舉業成功，
奪冠登科。

以鯉為題材的玉雕花插在明清十分盛行，兩岸故宮
都有類似的清代玉雕魚龍形花插可作參考，見《故
宮玉器精粹》，台北，1970年，圖版25；及《故
宮博物院藏品大系：玉器篇8，清》，北京，2011
年，編號167及168。香港邦瀚斯曾於2019年5月28
日售出一例清乾隆/嘉慶青白玉雕魚龍戲珠花插，
拍品編號157，以及倫敦邦瀚斯於2017年5月11日售
出一例清乾隆雞骨白玉魚龍幻化花插，拍品編號258，
可資參考。

For details of the charges payable in addition to the final Hammer Price of each Lot
please refer to paragraphs 7 & 8 of the Notice to Bidders at the back of the catalogue. THE PARRY COLLECTION | 95