Chinese porcelain vase decorated in underglaze cobalt blue (qinghua) with a lady and two rams, Kangxi reign.

Small Chinese porcelain vase decorated in underglaze cobalt blue (qinghua) with a lady and two rams in an outdoor setting, c. 1720, Kangxi reign, Qing dynasty, 7 cm high, 2¾ in. Bespoke box. 1-19382

Notes: The ram has appeared in artworks and considered auspicious animal symbol throughout Chinese history thanks to its auspicious implications. According to Shuowen by Xu Shen, the ram, or Yang 羊 in Chinese, means auspiciousness or good fortune (Xiang 祥).

中國青花小瓷瓶，繪有仕女和兩隻公羊的戶外場景，約1720年，清康熙，高7厘米，高2¾吋。

註：公羊因其吉祥的含義而出現在藝術品中，在整個中國歷史上也被視為吉祥的動物象徵。根據徐慎的《朔文》，漢語中的羊也構成了吉祥的意思。