Pendant in the shape of a catfish

This small jade pebble, primarily black in color, is carved in the shape of a catfish with its body tightly curled. The features are summarily treated. A line in low relief, reaching from the head down to the caudal fins, defines the body. The round eyes are defined by a number of unpolished cuts made by a metal disc. Short barbels hang below its mouth, and a single hole has been drilled above the left barbel so that the piece can be strung with a silk cord.

This piece is crudely rendered but powerful. In later jade pieces, craftworkers made a point of polishing to obliterate the marks left by the various drills and wheels; this unpolished piece gives us a good idea of how certain features, such as the eyes, were cut.

The catfish, nianyu, is a pun for abundance year after year. Such a piece, used either as a pendant or a toggle, was believed to bring good luck (in this case, abundance) to its owner.