Page 468 - Chinese SIlver By Adrien Von Ferscht

This pair of vases have an interesting treatment for their ears [handles] which are formed of small fruiting
branches of a pomegranate tree.

The body of each vase is decorated with an engraved fènghuáng - a Chinese mythological bird that is said to be
the equivalent of the Western ‘pheonix’, although their similarities are in reality quite far apart.

The pomegranate signifies fertility and immortality, while the fènghuáng is a symbol of virtue and grace.
However, the component parts that make up this strange hybrid, the head represents virtue ( ), the wing
represents duty ( ), the back represents propriety ( ), the abdomen says credibility ( ) and the chest
represents mercy ( ).

In some traditions, though, the fènghuáng represents the beginning of a new era. As such, a pair of vases such
as these could well be a wedding present.