A VERY PALE GREEN JADE 'LEAPING CARP' VASE

Qianlong

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 pale-green tone, with hongmu stand. 10.5cm (4 1/8in) high. (2).

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。