A Chinese zitan brushpot, bitong , carved with a continuous scene of figures within wooded landscapes, to illustrate the story of 'Dong Shan Bao Jie ' (News of Victory at Dongshan Mountain) 15cm high The famous story of 'Dong Shan Bao Jie' (Victory reporting at Dong Shan Mountain) often appears in painting and carvings, like this brush pot. Xie'an, the great general and statesman of the Eastern Jin dynasty (317-420) was playing chess with his friends one day in August of 383. Xie'an is modelled seated in a rock shelter with overhanging pine trees, and is stretching out his hand to move the last piece that will decide his victory in the game. At this very moment, a military messenger on a galloping horse has arrived with news that their army had won a great victory in the battle at Feishui. The Palace Museum in Beijing has one brush pot decorated with carved scenes depicting the same story by Wu Zhifan (active in 1662-1722), a famous artisan of Qing dynasty. There is also a similar piece in the Gallery of Art, New South Wales.