depicting Sheng Lung, the divine dragon, carved in relief, boldly sweeping across the centre of the ritual jade, the arched form creating a sweeping C- scroll, the tactile jade skin perforated with scattered diverse configurations of lei-wen spirals (thunder and cloud) motifs, variously incised and executed in low relief, the base of the jade terminating in a stylised upward hatchet curve, the reverse of the jade secreting a Zhu Niao (Red bird), of archaic form, hiding among archaistic spirals, the jade further revealing a clawed foot secreted among stylised clouds, the perforated recesses showing evidence of calcification. Song dynasty 960-1279 A.D. Provenance: Private Collection. Christie's July 2000 5.5 x 4.5 cm.