Product Description

CHINESE WHITE JADE DISH DEPICTING A FISH CARVING . A TOMB OFFERING FIGURE CARVING FOR AFTER LIFE.

BROWN AND RUSSET INCLUSIONS AND VEINS.

SIZE: 16.5 X 9.75 CM, 1.5 CM THICK.

NOTE:

MODEL FOOD DISHES FOR THE AFTERLIFE:

IT WAS BELIEVED THAT THESE TYPE OF MODEL JADE FOOD DISHES PRESENT THE INGREDIENTS FOR A FEAST FOR THE SOUL IN THE (TOMB) AFTERLIFE. IT ALSO GIVE US SOME IDEA OF THE TYPES OF FOOD ENJOYED BY THE LIVING IN CHINA IN THOSE TIMES. THE FOODS ARE ARRANGED AS FIVE MAIN MEATS (A GOAT, A PIG, A RABBIT, A FISH AND A GOOSE) AND FIVE ACCOMPANYING DISHES (POMEGRANATES, PEACHES, WATER CHESTNUTS, PERSIMMONS AND MANTOU (STEAMED BREAD). THEY ARE ARRANGED IN GROUPS OF FOUR AS THE CHINESE WORD ‘SI’ MEANING FOUR HAS THE SAME PRONUNCIATION AS, BUT DIFFERENT TONE FROM, THE WORD ‘SI’ MEANING DEATH.