Museum Updates
White jade carving captures a miniature world on water
Updated: Sep 14, 2026
China Bound
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How many stories can you spot in this small Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) jade carving? You may find a big ship and a small boat. Look closer and a lively scene unfolds: an elderly man in the foreground watching geese, a servant in the middle buying a goose from a child on the boat, and an old man and two boatmen rowing on the sterns. Even a cat and dog are caught playfully crouching on the flat roof of the ship's corridor.
Every tiny figure and detail brings this piece of jade to life, turning it into a miniature world on the water. Collection: Wuhan Museum in Hubei province.
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