Cleveland Museum of Art

Daoist Immortal Zhongli Quan

Date

1662–1722

Medium

porcelain with famille verte overglaze enamel decoration

Culture

China, Jiangxi province, Jingdezhen kilns, Qing dynasty (1644-1911), Kangxi reign (1662-1722)

Department

Chinese Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This porcelain figure represents Zhongli Quan as a scholar. He is wearing a scholar’s hat and carries a scroll on his back. He holds a fan that, according to legend, could bring the dead to life. Thus, he also bears the auspicious meaning of longevity. On his bare belly, the potter painted a qilin , a mythical auspicious creature that turns his head to the sun. The same design in different colors also decorates his back.

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