This lacquered box is decorated with mother-of-pearl inlay. The skillfully ap-plied inlay on the cover depicts a tranquil scene of the literati activity. Two scholars are engaged in a weiqi game (game of Go) in an interior. A pine tree curls up on the left, to show the division of spaces between the garden exterior and house interior. The game, however, is interrupted by an ap-proaching attendant. The subtle facial expression of the scholars is revealed vividly through the engraved details. The furniture and pavilion in the courtyard illustrate typical furniture and architecture of the 15th and 16th centuries, which can also be seen in early-Ming woodblock prints.
