A pair of white jade boxes with bird designs

Height: 8.26 cm, width: 15.24 cm

Former collection of the Prince Kung’s Palace

This pair of creamy jade boxes is in the shape of standing birds. Each bird holds a lingzhi fungus that is embedded with rose quartz and jadeite in its beak. The birds' upper bodies including the heads and tails form the lids of each box and their lower parts serve as a round container. The birds' claws and feathers are carved delicately. Two nest-shaped wood bases support the jade birds.

The jade birds are believed to be turtledove, which signified longevity in ancient times. As the Book of the Later Han records, the turtledov symbolizes eternal life. Moreover, turtledoves holding lingzhi fungus in their beaks endow them with intensified auspicious meanings.

The jade bird-shaped boxes were previously auctioned overseas, and were listed as No 26 in the catalogue of the AAA Prince Kung Auction in New York in 1913. However, they have been repatriated to the museum and are now part of the permanent collection.