A finely-carved bamboo 'Hehe Erxian' group17th/18th century The group delicately carved as the pair of twins, one seated on the ground leaning onto a lobed round box and cover, the left knee raised, holding a peach in his left hand, the other standing holding a lotus spray issuing a large blossom over his head, both figures depicted with smiling faces, wearing loose robes open at the chest, each bold head surrounded by a mane of long hair draped over the shoulders.13.4cm (5 3/8in) high. 注脚十七/十八世紀 竹雕和合二仙Provenance: Gerard Hawthorn Ltd. Oriental Art, London, 2003Published and Illustrated: Gerard Hawthorn, Chinese and Japanese Sculpture, 2003, London, no.17. 來源：英國倫敦古董商，Gerard Hawthorn Ltd. Oriental Art，2003年出版著錄：英國倫敦，Gerard Hawthorn，《Chinese and Japanese Sculpture》，2003年，編號17Hehe Erxian, also known as the 'Two Immortals of Harmony and Union', are traditionally believed to be associated with a long, happy marriage. The two Daoist Immortals originated from famous poet-monks of the Tang dynasty (618-906), Hanshan and Shide. In the late Ming dynasty they began to be depicted holding a lotus and a box. The typical iconography of the boys holding a lotus and a box forms the same homophone of he, meaning 'harmony' and 'union' respectively. In 1733, the Yongzheng emperor decreed that they should be known as 'saints of harmony and unity.'Compare with a related bamboo carving of the Hehe Erxian, mid Qing dynasty, also from the Gerard Hawthorn Collection, which was sold at Bonhams Hong Kong, 26 May 2013, lot 8. Another related bamboo carving of the Hehe Erxian group, 18th century, was sold at Christie's Hong Kong, 3 December 2008, lot 2343.