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A JADE FIGURE OF A BIXIE, HAN DYNASTY China, 206 BC-220 AD. Carved as a powerful winged beast in a crouching stance, the right front leg stretched forward, the thick paws appearing to firmly grip the ground, the head with two horns and raised alertly in a wild expression with large bulging eyes, a broad nose, and the mouth wide open in a roar revealing sharp fangs. The body detailed with thick tufts of fur and wings with scrolling tips and a coiled bifurcated tail. The translucent stone of a milky white tone with large areas of calcification and dark russet-brown inclusions. Provenance: The Collection of Sam and Myrna Myers, Paris, France. Acquired between circa 1965-2012. Condition: Good condition with ancient wear. Natural imperfections including fissures and inclusions. Some weathering, calcification, encrustations, and other signs of prolonged burial. Minor nicks. Weight: 240.5 g Dimensions: Length 8.6 cm Pixiu are mythical hybrid creatures, considered powerful protectors, resembling strong, winged tigers or lions, auspicious for wealth, and said to have a voracious appetite exclusively for gold, silver, and jewels. Therefore, Pixiu have always been regarded as being capable of drawing cai qi (wealth) from all directions, and according to the Chinese zodiac, they are especially helpful for those who are going through a bad year. There are two types of Pixiu: The one with two horns is the female, called Bixie. The one with only one antler is the male, called Tianlu. Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty declared that the pixiu would be forever known as the ‘Treasure of the Emperor’, that only royal personage could possess a pixiu, and that it was strictly forbidden for all others to own one, including officials. This law was kept through to the very end of the Qing dynasty. Lifelike sculptures of these mythical beings made from durable materials, such as bronze and jade, were made to embody and pacify the elemental and supernatural forces of the living world. Winged beasts in general (lion, tiger, deer, ram, eagle… etc.) are a popular and enduring subject in ancient Chinese works of art, and exist in many different forms (as a decorative pattern, flat carving or carving in the round). The term bixie first appeared in Jijiupian by Shi You in the Western Han period: ‘Sheji, bixie are both names of mythical beasts… bixie means ‘warding off the wicked’. It is said that jade pendants in the form of these two beasts can help prevent adversity and provide protection.’ The iconography of the bixie is closely associated with that of the griffin, popular in the Western Asia and Eurasia steppes, and originated in Mesopotamia in 3000 B.C. Bixie occupies a curious position in Chinese art. It is based on the imagery of a lion, a foreign animal, but has the spirit of a fierce tiger. It is often depicted alongside other exotic animals as artistic backdrops for monumental architectures, especially in the Han dynasty where palaces, temples, shrines and tombs were often decorated with large scale bronze or stone sculptures of Weng Zhong, qilin, tianlu, elephants, camels or horses. Bixie is an important component amongst the array that makes up this subject matter. Although bixie have heads like a lion or a tiger, it is the tiger that most embodies its essence. In the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang in his military strategy coined the now well-known term ‘like a tiger added with wings’ to describe a general that excels at deploying his troops. The origin of this phrase can be found in his anthology Zhuge Zhongwuhou wenji, juan 4, edited by Zhang Shu (1781-1847): “Military command is the mandate to lead the three armies, and the authority of the chief commander. A general who has the command of the army and knows the essence of troop deployment to gain the upper hand, is like a fierce tiger that has been given wings and able to travel the four seas, to apply force when he sees fit.” Literature comparison: Compare a closely related jade bixie amulet, Eastern Han dynasty, 13.2 cm wide, in the National Palace Museum, Taipei. Auction result comparison: Type: Closely related Auction: Bonhams Hong Kong, 5 April 2016, lot 32 Price: HKD 21,960,000 or approx. EUR 2,864,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A rare jade carving of a chimera, bixie, Han dynasty Expert remark: Note the size (8.7 cm). Auction result comparison: Type: Related Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 9 October 2020, lot 40 Price: HKD 2,142,000 or approx. EUR 255,000 converted and adjusted for inflation at the time of writing Description: A rare celadon jade figure of a bixie, Eastern Han dynasty Expert remark: Note the size (4.8 cm).

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Jade