This miniature mountain was carved from a piece of white jade that had naturally occurred in the shape of a triangle. The natural shape of the stone formed the mountain itself, while bold sculpting on the sides created the ridges. This ingenious design successfully preserved the primitive beauty of the jade, and reflects the sophisticated aesthetic sense of the Chinese literati. The 17th and18th centuries witnessed the peak of the use of jade in folk art, curios and functional objects. In the Jiangnan region, the nerve centre of the Chinese literati, tastefully designed and finely carved jade objects were produced.
