Green overlay glass snuffbox decorated with Wang Xiang and one of the most famous stories of Chinese filial piety, China, 1800-1860 Of flattened rectangular form, the green overlay glass on an opaque white ground is carved with a decoration depicting Wang Xiang seated under a pine tree near the water from which a carp is about to spring, while a stunned old man sees the second carp rise above the waves. A rock, a lingzhi mushroom, clouds and the moon incised with the character 月 - yuè adorn a small side of the bottle. Rose quartz stopper. Height: 7.3 cm The story of Wang Xiang - 王祥 is part of the "Twenty-four examples of filial piety" - Ershi si xiao - 二十四孝, a compilation of exemplary stories dating from the Yuan dynasty, intended to teach the Confucian virtue of xiao - 孝, i.e. filial piety. One winter day, his mother-in-law fell ill and expressed a desire to eat fresh fish. Although it was bitterly cold and the river was frozen, Wang Xiang went to the water's edge and lay down on the ice, hoping that his body heat would melt the layer of ice. According to legend, the ice miraculously cracked, revealing two carp, which he was able to take home to his family.