On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Zhongli Quan

Figure of Zhongli Quan
1580-1640 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Zhangzhou (made)
China (made)

Zhongli Quan is one of the Eight Daoist Immortals. The Eight Daoist Immortals were ordinary men and women who attained immortality through self-cultivation. They came to be regarded as symbols of long life.

Object details

Categories
Myths & Legends
Daoism
Object type
Figure of Zhongli Quan
TitleZhongli Quan (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Ivory, carved and stained
Ivory
Carved
Stained
Brief description
Figure of Zhongli Quan, carved and stained ivory, probably Zhangzhou, China, Ming dynasty, 1580-1640
Physical description
Ivory figure of Zhongli Quan standing on clouds with a tortoise supported on a fan in his hands, wearing a loose, wide-sleeved robe and trousers, bare waist tied around with an apron of overlapping leaves, a gourd hangs at his right side from a sash. Top-knotted hair, beard and whiskers stained in black. Inventory number 12030 in red enamel on the base.
Dimensions
  • Height: 14.7cm
Style
Ming
Gallery label
(2009)
Figure of Zhongli Quan
Ming dynasty
1580-1640

One of the Eight Immortals and originally an alchemist, Zhongli Quan holds a fan to revive the dead. He is often represented with a bare belly. The small turtle represents long life.

Carved ivory
Probably Zhangzhou, south China

Museum no. FE.4-1977
(pre 2005)
Zhongli Quan the Daoist Immortal, with fan and a tortoise
Ivory
CHINESE; late 16th-17th century
FE.4-1977
Object history
Bought from Bluett & Son, from the collection of Percival David and Sheila Riddell.
Subjects depicted
Tortoise
Fan
Gourd
鍾離權
扇子
敞懷
站立 (人體姿勢)
雙抓髻
鬚 (人體面部)
袍
陸龜
葉衣
腰巾
褲
鞋
雲
執扇
Quan, Zhongli
Summary
Zhongli Quan is one of the Eight Daoist Immortals. The Eight Daoist Immortals were ordinary men and women who attained immortality through self-cultivation. They came to be regarded as symbols of long life.
Bibliographic references
  • Clunas, Craig. Chinese Carving. London: Sun Tree Publishing Ltd in association with the Victoria & Albert Museum, 1996. p. 21, fig 10.
  • Hutt, Julia. Japanese Netsuke. London: V&A Publications, 2003. p. 80, no. 84.
  • Ayers, John, Oriental art in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London: Philip Wilson, 1983. p. 26
Other number
12030 - Previous number
Collection
East Asia Collection
Accession number
FE.4-1977

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Record createdJune 6, 2008
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O155464/zhongli-quan-figure-of-zhongli-unknown/
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