Screen stand with design of Kurukulle

Qing dynasty (1644-1911)

Yellow jade from Hotan

Height：44 cm

Width：25 cm

Hardness： 6.5.
(Enclosed certificate of FTIR scanning)

This wooden screen stand with marvelous carving showed flame-shaped rim and base with open work of double dragons in pursuit of pearl. It not only expressed amusing taste but symbol of exorcising evil spirits or praying for blessings. The center of screen was mounted with whole piece of precious yellow jade from Hotan in embossment. The translucent jade with moistness was in good quality and had been identified by FTIR scanning.

Hotan jade from Xinjiang province is a very rare jade. It has hardness of 6­ to 6.5, specific gravity of 2.80 to 3.10, refractive index of 1.61 to 1.63, and birefringence of 0.027. Moreover, there were magnificent features, comprising exquisite quality, top tenacity, hardly break, and abrasion resistance. The mild luster and clear translucency strengthen the great value of Hotan jade. Based on classification of the Hotan jade, yellow jade was much rare even through thousands of years. The value of yellow jade was competed with the best jade, lanolin white jade.

The embossment of yellow jade performed a unique female Buddha of Tibetan Buddhism, Kurukulle. She represented authority, power, and wisdom. Kurukulle was a dominant image and presented remarkable example of Buddhist devotional art. According to Tibetan Buddhism, practicing teachings of Kurukulle was able to enlighten wisdom, increase abundance of wealth, enlarge power, and etc. It was heard that the respectful emperor Qianlong used to practice the teachings.