Cylindrical form. The flat top carved with a scene of scholars with attendants at lakeside among mountains, floating poems in memory of Chu Yuan*. The sides of the box carved with geometric motifs based on archaic bronze patterns on a leiwen ground and bounded by rope- twist patterns; the inside and base in dark brown. 17 cm diameter. (minor losses to box) Provenance: -Bluett&Sons Ltd., September 18, 1981 -Thence by descent *A statesman and poet whose verses inspired one of the two greatest collections of ancient Chinese verse. He drowned himself in the Milo river in the third century B.C. having been falsely accused by a prince of his state.