Artists: Chang Shiqi, Wu Feng

Dimension: 179×8mm

Materials: Mammoth ivory (fossilized tusk) and jadeite

Creation Date: 1998-1999

Forms: Plaque

Main Features: The piece is rendered in a soft-style planar microcarving technique. The microcarved imagery is executed on mammoth ivory, an organic material with a density of approximately 1.90 g/cm³ and a Mohs hardness of around 2.5, making it suitable for fine carving. Due to its hygroscopic nature, mammoth ivory is sensitive to environmental humidity, readily absorbing and releasing moisture. It can be tinted, but careful conservation is required: it should be kept away from direct airflow and water, protected from extreme temperature fluctuations, and maintained in a stable, moderate-humidity environment to prevent mold and insect damage. Even slight mishandling may result in warping, cracking, or discoloration.

Description: The Five Hundred Arhats are the enlightened disciples of Sakyamuni. Their individual names and iconography were systematized in China no earlier than the Ming dynasty. This work was created over a two-year period (1998–1999). Prior to its completion, no comparable large-scale work of this kind had been realized through microcarving techniques, marking it as a landmark achievement in the history of microcarving art.

Awards: Gold Award, “Century Cup” National Exhibition of Chinese Arts and Crafts Creation, 1999