A PAIR OF MONUMENTAL APRICOT ORANGE-GROUND EMBROIDERED SILK 'HUNDRED BIRDS' HANGINGSCirca 1900 The rectangular panels intricately embroidered with auspicious birds including cranes and long-tailed birds standing or perching on entwined branches of bamboo and prunus and amidst lingzhi fungi, all executed in the vibrant shades of white, aubergine, green, and blue silk threads on a brilliant apricot-orange ground, lined blue. 536cm (211in) long x 250cm (98 1/2in) wide. (2 ). 約1900年 金黃緞地百鳥圖大掛屏一對 Provenance : an English private collection 來源 ：英國私人收藏 The scene depicts numerous birds, in tribute to the popular and auspicious design of the 'Hundred Birds Paying Tribute to the Phoenix'. According to Chinese legend, the phoenix is the Queen of all feathered creatures, appearing only in times of prosperity and peace. Birds also played a prominent part in the visual culture of rank and hierarchy, as the various ranks of the civil bureaucracy were represented on official robes with badges depicting a bird. Thus, the first rank badge was a Manchurian crane; the second rank, a golden pheasant; the third, a peacock, etc., down to the eighth and ninth ranks represented by quails and sparrows. Screen depicting the multitudes of birds, in an Imperial context, would suggest the harmonious gathering of officials at court: the bird kingdom mirroring the Son of Heaven's human realm. pare with a related silk embroidered pair of 'Hundred Birds' panels inset into hongmu screens, 19th century, which was sold at London, 2 November 2021, lot 100.