Department: Decorative Art

On the side of this box is an engraved rural landscape and writing in tiny characters. The text is taken from the 'Shu Ching', known as the 'Classic of History'. It is a compilation of speeches by major historical figures and records of events in ancient China. The 'Classic of History' is one of the 'Five Classics' traditionally said to have been compiled by the philosopher Confucius. It has been studied and memorized by scholars in China and neighboring countries for two thousand years. The carver is the famous Yu Shuo from Beijing who has made two other pieces in the Grice Collection.