White Jade Lychee from the Qianlong Period of the Qing Dynasty

It is made of white jade, which is warm and delicate. The whole jade is carved with lychee patterns, which are full and rich, with flowers and leaves interspersed, long leaves curled, layered on top of each other, and the gaps are properly handled, without any sense of cumbersome piling. The texture of the fruit and leaves are all depicted with lines, which are delicate and exquisite. There is a circular hole on the top for threading. “Lychee” is homophonic to “li zhi”, which means “abundant fruits” and “continuous benefits”. Objects designed and made with lychee as the theme have been passed down for a long time. During the Song Dynasty, lychee was officially designated as an auspicious pattern. It was designed and applied to precious objects to indicate official rank and grade and as decoration in daily life. It reflected the mainstream society's recognition of the aesthetic value of the lychee pattern. During the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, it was sublimated from the material level to the spiritual level. The whole piece is exquisite in shape, unique in craftsmanship, beautiful in meaning, and is truly a fine product.