A pair of soapstone (huah shih) figures, one depicting a mandarin wearing official robes decorated with his rank badge (buzi) of a crane, denoting the first civil rank, amongst incised clouds and roundels of lotus flowers and scrolls, above waves, rocks and four-clawed dragons, also a symbol of his status as a noble and high-ranking official; the other figure depicting a court lady, her hair tied into a tall chignon, signifying her unmarried status, and wearing flowing robes similarly incised with clouds, scalloped roundels of lotus and scrolls and stylised embroidery; both figures still with traces of the original polychrome decoration, the underneath of both figures with incised marks to the base.

The majority of standalone Chinese soapstone figural carvings, depict sacred figures such as Guanyin, Immortals, luohans, or bodhisattvas. The present carved figures, however, are exceedingly rare, as they depict secular subjects, court officials, from the Kangxi reign.

These figures are distinguished by their exceptional craftsmanship and large size. suggesting the work of a master artisan, probably working for the imperial court.  Intricately incised throughout with motifs including clouds, lotus flowers, scrolling grasses, waves, rocks, and dragons, the carvings show a remarkable level of detail. Their faces are highly expressive, while the folds of their robes exhibit extraordinary fluidity and movement. The figures’ imposing size and rich coloration of stone, that still retain traces of original polychrome decoration, further enhance their importance and significance.

The male figure depicted here is a mandarin and wears the rank badge of a crane, symbolizing a first-rank civil official in the Qing dynasty. Civil and military officials were distinguished by their rank badges, with birds used for civil officials, ranked from highest to lowest: crane, golden pheasant, peacock, wild goose, silver pheasant, egret, mandarin duck, quail, and paradise flycatcher.

Achieving first-class rank required years of study, with birds often chosen for their literary associations. Additionally, the square badge worn by the mandarin, symbolised earth and was reserved for high-ranking officials, while the four-clawed dragons on his robe further emphasize his nobility and status within the imperial court.

In Chinese Stone Carvings, R. Soame Jenyns identifies the accompanying female figure as the mandarin’s wife. However, recent research questions this identification. Her hairstyle, a tall chignon typically worn by unmarried women, differs from the gaoliang style associated with married women in Manchu China, where hairstyles held symbolic significance. Moreover, Qing dynasty regulations allowed wives and children of officials to wear the official’s insignia, yet this figure does not bear the mandarin’s badge, suggesting she is not his spouse. Additionally, her robe lacks the dragon motifs that would signify noble status, potentially required for marriage to a first-rank official.

The stylized nature of these figures suggests they were not intended to be exact representations of Qing court attire. They were almost certainly commissioned by the imperial court as a tribute or gift to a court official; and while the artist may have conceived the pair as a married couple, the lack of conclusive details leaves their relationship open to interpretation.