QI BAISHI (1863-1957)

When gifting paintings to his friends, Qi often put in a lot of thought to its subject matter and the message he wished to express. In this painting, Qi paints a rooster, known for its symbolism of rising in political rank (sheng guan), and by extension, wishing the receiver good fortune and favour. To further infuse the painting with blessings, Qi paints the cockscomb flower above the Rooster, wishing the receiver with more political favour, and to 'crown' him as a rising star in the political arena.

This composition was widely used in Qing Dynasty ceramics and jade pieces, sometimes with an additional grasshopper in the latter medium, as its name was a homophone for 'official'.