A fine Chinese white jade circular plaque or dish

A fine Chinese white jade circular plaque or dish, 18th/19th century. The slightly convex side carved in shallow relief with Liu Hai, the God of wealth, tempting his three legged toad to leave the water with a string of coins. He stands on a raft encircled by waves and ruyi-shaped clouds, the reverse dished and with waves and clouds around the border, together with a hardwood stand, 7.6cm. (2) Provenance: formerly in the collection of Sidney Lines, of Wiggins Teape, Hong Kong, acquired in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Liu Hai was a Minister of State during the 10th century in China, and was also a Daoist.He became good friends with a three-legged toad who had the fabulous ability to whisk its owner to any destination. This particular toad had a love of not only water but also gold.If the toad happened to escape down a well, Liu Hai could make him come out by means of a line baited with gold coins. An alternative version of the story is that the toad actually lived in a deep pool and exuded a poisonous vapour which harmed the people. Liu Hai is said to have hooked the ugly and venomous creature with gold coins and then destroyed it.