A BAMBOO WRISTREST WITH INSCRIPTION

QING DYNASTY (1644-1911), SIGNED YU LÜYU

LENGTH: 25.9CM

The wristrest is of rectangular form. The curved face is engraved with a long poetic inscription followed by a dedication pertaining to the sixtieth birthday of a female elder, signed Yu Lüyu and followed by two square seals. The bamboo is patinated to a warm brown tone.

The long poetic inscription may be translated as follows

酌斗祈黃耇 躋堂上綠樽 萬家歌父母 一室慶晨昏	Pouring a dipper, I pray the venerable elder be blessed, ascending the hall, we raise patinated wine cups. As all families sing of their parents, let our whole households celebrate both day and night.
椿茂千年樹 花榮兩代萱 勳猷先世懋 福祉後昆繁	May the Toon be a tree that flourishes thousands of years, and the two generations Daylilly blossom in glory. When meritorious achievements forebears diligently pursue, Blessings on descendants shall profusely fall.
族仰金張盛 才應召杜論 飛鳬初出宰 夾鹿早依轅	This family admires how Jin and Zhang prospered, its talent resonating with the way Shao and Du thought. Ducks in flight first went to provincial posts, then, deerskin lined, they relied on government offices.
樾蔭筠州溥 棠陰蔀屋藩 魑廷欽拜虎 鶚薦快翔鵾	He cast tree cover, everywhere when in Yunzhou, and shade of pear, on straw mat hovels on the frontier. But Tiger Qinbai, thanks to the Dragon Court, once recommended, quickly phoenix soared.
百里重宣化 三巖盡被恩 隨車甘雨潤 擁蓋惠風溫	For hundreds of tricents his edifying influence heavily spread, and Sanyan was entirely covered by his kindness. Following his official carriage, sweet rain fell moist, and in its embrace, a gentle breeze blew warm.
案信無留牘 光常照覆盆 馬蒭嚴夙駕 獸炭撤朝瞮	Legal documents never left unheeded, his bright scrutiny brought dark injustice to light. Horse fodder done, he rigorously set out at early morn, and dispensed with morning light lit from animal charcoal. (He reformed rules for charcoal use.)
威重狄難假 聲銷雉唱喧 安良勤拔瀣 思患預清源	So dignified and awesome, underlings never slacked off, （斥革蠧役） (He sacked crooked officials.) His reputation ended the clamour of pheasants calling （嚴禁花會） (He strictly forbade raffle gambling.) To conciliate the good he diligently promoted the pure, anticipating disaster, he made fundamental precautions beforehand.
編甲聯諸堡 呼庚備列村 澤偕章水漾 名共泰山尊	He organized communal self-defense and linked fortified positions, （奉行保甲） (He organized the communal self-defense system) and when grain was begged he arranged villages in response. （觀捐積榖） (Where he saw deficit he increased grain supply.) When marshlands and Zhang river flooded, his name became as honoured as Mount Tai.
茲屆慈幃壽 欣看愛日暄 衣冠招魯國 詩賦宴梁園 舞綵覘萊子 鳴琴聽士元 却深慚駑質 多幸傍龍門	This year his mother attained longevity, so he rejoiced to see that such loveable days are warm. Gentry in robe and cap he summoned from Lu, and poetry was feasted in Liang Garden. For dance and colour may she watch Master Lai, and when zither’s played, may she hear what Shiyuan did. Let her deeply reject any shame at her frail state, for it’s great good fortune she’s companion to a Dragon Gate. As followers of that thoroughbred, raise cups to celebrate, as with these insect carvings I offer birthday wishes. May Jasper Lake peaches be her just reward, while colours from Beautiful Lady fill her wrinkles. Though now on canes, respect between husband and wife happily sparkles, and though tombstone is ready, they still are on everyone’s tongue. With nine blessings, respectfully I bring this eulogy to a close and wish that the phoenix of good fortune soars high!
酌斗祈黃耇 躋堂上綠樽 萬家歌父母 一室慶晨昏	Pouring a dipper, I pray the venerable elder be blessed, ascending the hall, we raise patinated wine cups. As all families sing of their parents, let our whole households celebrate both day and night.

Jin Ridi 金日磾 (134-86 BCE) and Zhang Anshi 張安世 (d. 62 BCE) were supremely eminent officials whose descendants in the next seven generations were equally successful. For Shao Xinchen 召信臣 (second half 1st century BCE) and Du Shi 杜詩 (d. 38 CE), the expression “Shao fu Du-mu” 召父杜母 was coined “Father Shao and Mother Du”—for they were paragons of benevolent administration.
Hu “tiger” indicates that Qinbai was then appointed to the Huqiangying 虎槍營 (Tiger-hunting Brigade), elite group of Bannermen to attend the emperor on hunts. Qinbai died in 1747, so this inscribed poem must date before then. Qinbai was a member of the Manchu Gu- walgiya clan 瓜爾佳氏 and a Bordered Red banner 鑲紅旗 bannerman, great-grand-nephew of Loosa 勞薩 (d.1641), Manchu general, who died fighting in a battle with Ming forces led by Hong Chengchou 洪承疇 (1593-1665), who himself defected to the Manchus in 1642.] Among other offices, Qinbai was appointed magistrate of Yidu 益都 county, Shandong, in 1738. For details, see Qinbai’s biography in Qingshi gao 清史稿 (Draft History of the Qing), Beijing, 1977, 298:10406.
The poetic inscription is followed by a dedication, which may be translated as: 五言二十四韻恭祝 “Five-syllable twenty-four couplets offered with respectful congratulations” 太師母太夫人六旬開壽兼頌 “For My Master’s Mother, Celebrating Her Sixth Decade Start of Longevity, With a Song of Praise” “His Excellency, Huizheng” 夫子大人 惠政 受業俞履豫叩祝並鐫 “Accepting the commission, Yu Lüyu, kowtowing, offers best wishes with an inscription”
Followed by two seals reading Lü 履 and yu 豫
The dedication was likely to be addressed to Qinbai, whose governance was often characterised as huizheng “kind administration”. His mother was the wife of Qitong’a 奇通阿 , but, unfortunately, her name is unknown. Qitong’a seemed to have retired from government service and refrained from public appearances in his middle age, because of illness in 1695. Qinbai then inherited his father’s rank and title—Yideng Bo 一等伯 (First Rank Earl). Thereafter, beginning in 1707 he made steady advance up through military appointments, ultimately serving in 1738 as Lingshi weinei dachen 領侍衛內大臣 (Grand Minister of the Imperial Household Department, Concurrently Controlling the Imperial Guardsmen). He retired in 1745 and died two years later. His age at death is unknown, but it is likely he was born about 1680, which means he was probably about 67 when he died.
The gifter, Yu Lüyu, is unidentified

PROVENANCE

Spink & Son, Ltd., London

PUBLISHED IN

Bamboo & Wood Carvings of China and the East, London, 1979, p. 30, Catalogue No. 111.

清代	俞履豫款竹雕題詩臂擱