Jade pendant decorated with two magpies (birds) in a blossoming plum tree. This is a popular motif in China and represents the saying 'May your joy reach as high as your eyebrows (Xishang meishao)'. The magpies 'xique' are birds of joy and the plum 'mei' is a pun for 'eyebrows' while the top of the plum tree 'mei shao' is a pun for 'top of one's eyebrows'. Nice carving and jade from Hotien (Xinjiang). 20th century. Length 6.2 cm. Width 4.2 cm. Thickness 1.1 cm.