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8/17/2011: "A Chinese bamboo root, exquisitely carved as the figure of Dongfang Shuo, 7 1/4” W x 6 1/4” H., dating from the Kangxi Period, early 18th century. This Daoist figure, dressed in loose robes, is seated on rounded pierced rockwork, holding the ‘Peach of Immortality,’ and has an amused expression, his finely striated beard falling to his chest. Dongfang Shuo, alias Manqian, was a courtier of Emperor Wudi of Han (140-87 BCE). He was famous for his wit and humor. A man of great talent, he was said to be able to recite the most extraordinary writings of the world at the age of three. As a Daoist priest, he was able to visit Heavan and steal the peaches that the Queen Mother of the West planted for the Jade Emperor. The peaches took three thousand years to ripen, and on eating them, one could attain immortality. Therefore, the story of Dongfang Shuo stealing peaches is associated with longevity, and often used as a birthday wish.
During his lifetime, Dongfang Shuo was considered a zhexian (banished immortal). In the Six Dynasties period (222-589 CE), Bondfang Shuo became the hero of many legends and stories. he was supposedly an embodiment of Sui (Jupiter) or Taibai (Venus) and had a miraculous birth, possessed supernatural powers, and went through numerous reincarnations, including the Daoists Laozi and Fan Li.
Dongfang Shuo was also a man of letters, who wrote the poetic prose of De Ke Nan and Fei You Xian Sheng Lun. He was also humurous and fond of drinking.
This bamboo carving is attributed to the Jiading School. The overall characteristics suggest the provenance of the Feng School of Jiading, first formed by Feng Xilu of the early Qing period.
There are over 250 varieties of bamboo grown in western and southern China. Jiading is located in Jinagsu province, northwest of Shanghai and is rich in bmaboo resources. Shanghai is culturally considered part of Southern China, even though it lies somewhere in the middle. The school of Jiading bamboo carving was created by Zhu He between 1506-1566 AD, and was popular throughout the Jiading area. Zhu He, Zhu Ying and Zhu Zhizheng, three generations of the same family comprised the Jiading School. The initiator, Zhu He, was a man good at poetry, painting and calligraphy. He was brave in innovation and was inferior to no one. His son Zhu Ying and grandson Zhu Zhizheng inherited his career. They were all good at painting, embossment and round carvings, among which were base and high relief.
With the efforts of the Zhu family, the Jiading School became the biggest branch of bamboo carving at that period. Many outstanding carvers emerged from this school. Using a knife instead of a brush and carving the bamboo in the same way as calligraphy, was a major feature and traditional skill of Jiading bamboo carving, which employed ten different carving techniques. Jiading bamboo carving incorporates various art forms such as calligraphy, painting, poetry, literature and seal-cutting, which brings new life to bamboo and made it a favorite among ancient literary types. Bamboo, together with pine and plum is known as one of the ‘three good friends in the cold years’ and has always been popular among people, including poets, artists and craftsmen. The common bamboo possesses a sense of transcendent beauty, and collecting bamboo carvings has been a hobby for many Chinese people for a long time.
China was one of the first nations to use bamboo. Archeologists once unearthed a painted dragon-pattern bamboo spoon from the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD24) at the No. 1 Han tomb of Changsha Mawangdui in Hunan Province.
In the mid-Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) bamboo carving became a professional industrial art, and as more artists took it up, its role shifted from practical use into a decorative art form. Jiading in Shanghai and Baoqing in Hunan Province were the two bamboo-carving centers during the Ming and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties.
Chinese bamboo carvings of Dongfang Shuo can be found in various museum collections including: The Victoria and Albert; The National Museum of History, Taipei; The Shanghai Museum; The Palace Museum of Beijing, etc." - Bernie McManus, Woodbury House appraiser, 7/27/2011
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