height: 30 cm

The god of the literati is dynamically depicted, standing in long flowing robes and a scholar’s hat. His robes are loosely held in place by a double belt that rises over and under the stomach – accentuating the area and creating movement in the folds of the drapery. The right hand is held up elegantly, holding a scroll, and the left arm seems to have just been brought down swiftly – the long sleeves totally covering the hand amongst an eddy of twisted material. The head is commandingly held – looking slightly up, and the finely worked sharp features highlight the quality of the close-grained wood.

similar example
‘Bamboo, Wood, Ivory and Rhinoceros Horn Carving – The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum’, 2001 – no. 15.