Vintage Chinese carved soapstone cup / candle or pencil holder, desk accessory - or incense stick holder with three monkeys sitting around the cup embodying the proverbial principle "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil." This proverb is based on a similar phrase exists in the late Analects of Confucius from 2nd to 4th century B.C. that reads: "Look not at what is contrary to propriety; listen not to what is contrary to propriety; speak not what is contrary to propriety; make no movement which is contrary to propriety."

The cup / holder is approximately 2.1/4" by 2.1/4" [5.8cm] and 1.1/4" [3.2cm] across at the top; 2.1/2" [6.4cm] tall. The stone has earth colors, shades of brown, red and gray. A little wear, very good condition. See photos.

The three wise monkeys are a Japanese pictorial maxim, embodying the proverbial principle "see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil". The three monkeys are:

Mizaru, who sees no evil, covering his eyes
Kikazaru, who hears no evil, covering his ears, and
Iwazaru, who speaks no evil, covering his mouth.

The source that popularized this pictorial maxim is a 17th-century carving over a door of the famous Tosho-gu shrine in Nikko, Japan. The carvings at Tosho-gu Shrine were carved by Hidari Jingoro, and believed to have incorporated Confucius's Code of Conduct, using the monkey as a way to depict man's life cycle. The philosophy, however, probably originally came to Japan with a Tendai-Buddhist legend, from China in the 8th century (Nara Period).

Soapstone is also known as steatite or soaprock and has been used for carving for well over two thousand years. Some forms of soapstone are quite soft and may feel soapy when touched, which is how it acquired its name.

US: Priority (c.2-4 days) ---------- $14.50
Canada: 1st Class (c.2-7 weeks) ---- $30.50
World: 1st Class (c.2-10 weeks) ---- $40.50