When we acquired this walnut carving, we immediately assumed that it depicted the ‘Eighteen Luohan’. The Eighteen Arhats or Luohan as they are called in China are considered as the original disciples of the Buddha. They have reached the state of ‘Nirvana’, the perfect quietude and liberation from the repeating cycle of birth, life and death, and they are free of worldly cravings. To our surprise this carving shows not 18 but 19 Luohan surrounded by gourds and peony flowers. The gourd symbolizes Blessings and Fertility while the Peony represents Wealth and Honor. Some of the men hold attributes which identify them as Luohan, such as the flower basket of Lan Caihe and the fan of Zhongli Quan. It must have been quite a job to carve the small figures on this walnut which dates from the first half of the 20th century or earlier. Owners of walnut carvings loved to run them through their fingers which caused a nice patina just like in this case. Height 3.8 cm. Width & depth 3.7 cm.