Measurements: 196.85mm Diam. Weight: 1,360.2g Stand: 6-1/4" H VERY FINE Chinese nephrite jade table screen. Nephrite jade in circular plaque depicting sages and attendants on their path in pursuit seeking Tao within highland and village officials amongst the pavilion, sprawling hillside. Several traditional Chinese architectural structures, various trees, rocks, dapple the mountainside. The verso side shows cranes amongst waterside landscape in deep reliefs carving. Viewers of these work are meant to identify with a human figure in the painting, allowing them to walk through and dwell in the landscape. The carving is magnificent with an even tone pale white-cream iridescent and moist milky appearance. Framed in a carved Zitan hardwood, from which rise vertical panel flanked on either side with circular frame in elaborate scrolling Lingzhi fungus and flower blooms with interlocking vines. The Expert workmanship is the absolute highlight of this gorgeous nephrite jade screen, a portion of this natural jade is considered quite rare. Jade, as a stone, has five virtues. Its glossiness and warmth is like benevolence. Because inside and outside is the same, so that knowing the outside one knows the inside, this may be likened to righteousness. Its far-reaching sound (when struck) may be heard from afar, like wisdom. It is not easily bent, but can be broken, which may be likened to courage. Jade can be sharpened, but not to the point where it can injure people; this quality is like self-regulation or restraint. Many mountains in China are sacred, some to Daoist, some to Buddhists and some to both. In folk religion each mountain has its own deity associated with it. The pictogram character for mountain shan has three towering peaks. ‘Mountains and sea’ represent an all encompassing phrase for the whole world shan Hai. Mountains represent the yang element in the landscape and as such connect to the governing yang element in China - the Emperor. Mountain is one of the eight trigrams in Feng Shui and Yi Jing. Of these Taishan is considered the most important and stones from the mountain were often placed in towns across China as a lucky charm.