Daoist Immortal Liu Hai on a Three-Legged Toad China, Qing dynasty, late 1700s bamboo, 9 7/16 inches (24 cm) Lutz Bamboo Collection, gift of Michael and Tina Chow 1983.526 Rotate Daoist Immortal

Riding a three-legged toad, the Daoist immortal Liu Hai is associated with wealth and prosperity. His image is sculpted from the partially solid, underground rhizome neck of a bamboo plant. Although a misnomer, sculptures like this are often called “root” carvings.

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