A grey pottery tile, likely from a Shanxi province tomb. The tile has been partially cold painted with red, orange and black pigments, and depicts a scene in relief from one of the 'Twenty-four Paragons of Filial Piety'. Filial piety is a virtue centered on respecting, loving, and caring for one's parents and ancestors, particularly within Chinese Confucian and Buddhist ethics. This tile depicts a scene from the story of Zhao Xiao.
 
Chinese Jin period: 1115 to 1234 AD.
 
Good overall condition. Expected surface wear but no signs of restoration or repair.
Height 27.5 cms (10.8 ins).
Weight 5.3 kgs.
 
Provenance: From the collection of The Late Brian Page (1938-2018), the well-known Oriental art and antiques dealer from Brighton. Each item being acquired circa 1990s.
 
Zhao Xiao lived during the Han dynasty at a time when the whole country was suffering great disorder from rebellions. People were starving and ate each other to survive. One day starving bandits kidnapped Zhao's younger brother. Zhao tied himself up and went to swap places with his younger brother, claiming that his brother was thin whereas he was fatter. The kidnappers were deeply moved by Zhao's action and set both brothers free.