Chinese
Dragon in Clouds Chime, 1765, Qing Dynasty, reign of Qianlong
On view
Jadeite
Dimensions26 7/8 × 29 3/4 × 12 1/4 in. (68.3 × 75.6 × 31.1 cm)
Other: 11 3/8 × 18 7/8 × 1 in. (28.9 × 47.9 × 2.5 cm)
Gift of Mrs. Fredrick B. Miner, 1968.13
This chime is a part of a larger set of twelve called a te-qing. When the chimes are made from jade, the set was called yu-qing and was said to give the finest tone. These instruments were played for imperial audiences or during palace banquets and religious ceremonies. The use of a pure green jade along with the depiction of imperial dragons indicates that this chime was most likely commissioned for Emperor Qianlong.
