Mandarin ducks

Two ducks share the same stalk of lotus. The drake turns his head toward his mate as they swim together over the waves. The male duck wears a neckband of lotus medallions. The wing and tail feathers of both ducks are shown as arabesques, and are portrayed as stylized bands with square meanders. The ducks have a geometric look and squared-off features, and it has been suggested that they may have been copied from metal models.

As we have seen, mandarin ducks symbolize fidelity and conjugal bliss. They are invariably shown with the lotus, which has many meanings. The lotus is commonly called he, a homonym for "harmony"; and it is also known as lian, a pun for "continuous." In this context, the lotus can stand for harmony in marriage, as well as the continuous birth of sons. Jade carvings such as this one are thus appropriate wedding gifts.

This motif appeared often in the Ming dynasty and persisted through the Qing dynasty. In this example, the crests of the waves appear a bit mannered, and the leaves on the stalk of lotus are incorrectly portrayed. These features may indicate a slightly later date than the 1700s.