Flower materials for red, white, pink agate, three-dimensional round carving. Using the different colors of the material itself, the ancient tree trunk, rock, phoenix, bat and Ganoderma lucidum are skillfully cut. There are holes in the trunk for arranging flowers.

This flower holder is one of the best works of beautiful colors in the Qing Dynasty, and it is also an important furnishing of the Qing court. Flower holders are furnishings and can be inserted inside. There were flower holders in the jade wares of Ming Dynasty, mostly in the shape of tubes. There are many kinds of flower holders in the palace stationery in Qing Dynasty, among which the stump-shaped flower holders are more typical. Currently, the use of flower materials is also more extensive, blue jade, white jade, crystal, agate and jade are used.

In Chinese culture, the bat is a symbol of good fortune and happiness. This symbolism arises from the homophony between the word for bat, "蝙蝠" (biānfú), and the word for good fortune, "福" (fú), making the bat an auspicious symbol in Chinese tradition. Bats are often depicted in art, literature, and decorations, where they are used to convey wishes for prosperity, longevity, and good luck.

From the collection of: The Palace Museum. 

Made by Rui Xu