Page 88 - Yamanaka co Auction catalog

147-MINIATURE GARDEN (Ch'ien-lung)
The dominant feature is a remarkable natural coral growth
-white coral-its form being that of a gnarled tree, leaf-
less, with tortuous trunk and branches, such as those
cedars which grow within the dune line along some salt
watel' beaches. The shape is also that of the emblematic
wild prunus tree of China. The important trunk and
limbs are a pure white of soft luster, many of the twig
ends are tinged with pink, and a portion of the high ex-
posed root, of gray tufa-like formation, gives an excellent
rockery effect. Out of this tufa or rockery issue growths
of the sacred fungus, represented in carved carnelian. A wis-
taria vine with leaves of malachite twines about the tree, its
flower-clusters in pendent drops of amethyst. Chrys-
anthemums and begonias appear in jade and coral; and
there are carved figures of white jade, all in a "gravel" of
small coral stems set within a quadrilateral jardiniere of
cloisonne enamel decorated with Buddhistic emblems.
Height) 18 inches.