Rosary of 18 round beads hand-carved from the kernel of a Chinese ‘gânlan’ fruit which is a very hard material. The beads each depict a multitude of sages in a landscape with pine trees. Each bead is different from the other and the details are quite fine. Sages are generally people who posses supernatural powers and very long lifespans, in other words they represent Longevity. The Pine tree is a symbol of Longevity too so these beads clearly wish the wearer a Long Life and Good Fortune. The beads are not signed and date from the 20th century or perhaps slightly earlier. Total length approximately 36 cm. Size beads 1.7 cm in diameter.