Emperor Chien Lung (1736-1796) of the Ching dynasty was an ardent collector of miniature crafts made of such materials as jade, crystal, coral, amber and agate. To store his precious curios, the Emperor ordered court craftsmen to devise various types of treasure boxes with tiers of shelves and small compartments inside. The largest of the boxes is no more than three feet tall and the smallest about one foot.
Pictured here is a round treasure box with Indian lotus decor in the National Palace Museum collection. The box, 24.3 cm. in height and 18.6 cm. in diameter, is made from wood pasted with stripes of bamboo. The box is divided into four fan-shaped sections, each invisibly hinged to another. When closed, the box is circular, opened, it looks like a screen. It can also be in the shape of two semicircles, or when turned inside out, square, with the various ornaments on full view. Twenty three jade pieces, three scrolls or a painting album can be displayed in the box.
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