A very important lacquered Fengshi-style 'Jingtao' qin
10th century or earlier
The body gently tapered from the head to the tail with a multiple-recessed shoulder and waist, supported by two hardwood goose-feet (yanzu), the underside with seven hardwood tuning pegs (zhen), the top inlaid vertically with thirteen yellow medal studs (hui), and terminated with hardwood string supporter (longyin), the name of this qin inscribed above the rounded 'dragon pool' (longchi), Jingtao (Stormy Wave) and signed by Huang Tingjian (1045-1105), a long inscription incised underneath the rounded 'phoenix pool' by Li Zizhao (1856-1938) dated corresponding to 1919, the lacquered surface with a network of fine snake-belly crackles and ice crackles, bag and box. Overall 121.6cm(47 1/2in)long;shoulder 20.8cm (8 1/4in) wide;tail 15cm (6in) wide (3).