Lotus Pond

This plate is carved as a lotus receptacle with a piece of lotus flower petal. A cute frog is lying on the petal.

The carving takes good advantage of natural multiple colours of the stone. Everything is carved within one piece of stone. 

No glue. No piecing together. 

This inspiration of this piece of carving artwork is from beautiful and poetic scenes in nature. 

The design is very refined. It can be seen as a combination of natural beauty and artistic mind.

The material of this piece of artwork is agalmatolite (Shoushan Stone). 

Shoushan Stone (Chinese: 寿山石 shòu shān shí)  carving is an art originating in Fujian Province（福建省 Fújiàn shěng）in Eastern China.

The stones used in carving are also known as agalmatolite and are mined in the Shoushan village in northern Fujian. These rocks formed from the earth’s movement more than 100 to 200 millions years ago. The mining is difficult, and thus the stone is very rare.

Use of the stone for carving can be traced back as far as the Southern Dynasties and have long been used to produce handicrafts and later on in the Ming Dynasty, often used to make seals. Shoushan Stone is one of the traditional Chinese "four seal stones". Many emperors employed Shoushan stone to produce the royal seal.

Both ancient emperors and modern people have close contact with 'Shoushan Stone', putting it in a prominent position of the traditional Chinese jade culture.

It is completely hand-carved. The handcraft is astonishing and impeccable!

Pleas take time to have a check with the marvellous details. 

With attached ladybird-shape incense holder, it can create a amusing scene. 

The ladybird-shape incense holder is made of pure silver, coated with gold on the spots of ladybird's wings. Completely handmade.

You can use it alone as a small decoration. 

You can also use it to hold stick incense, placing it on the lotus petal.

The plate can be used as a tray for small jewellery as well.

Use your imagination to make this piece of handcrafted artwork to have some practical use in your everyday life.

Then it will get its own life and company you for long time.