18th / 19th Century Jade Chilong Brushrest (ca. 1775 - 1850)

An 18th to 19th century, Qing Dynasty, jade brushrest modelled as a sinuous; single horned tianlu. Brushrests are a must have object on a scholar's desk; joining other pieces such as scroll weights, brush washers and brush holders, bitong. In a very pale celadon nephrite with russet inclusions is more typical of the mid to late Qing Dynasty. The tail is modeled as a lingzhi fungus; an auspicious symbol representing longevity and good health which continues to feature in the staples of Eastern medicine.

Tianlu are considered the male form of bixie, capable of sourcing wealth while the female form stores and protects it. The style of this particular example harks back to cartoon dragons that feature on Kangxi and earlier porcelain. His features are jovial and pleasant; lacking the ferocity of earlier bixie depictions.