QIANLONG GILT SIX-CHARACTER MARK AND OF THE PERIOD (1736-1795)

The centre of the underside of the present ink cake is inscribed in relief with eight characters in seal script reading ‘When clouds billow and rain falls, peace and harmony are bestowed upon all kingdoms’. The right end is incised and gilt with a Qianlong reign mark; the left end with the characters Yangxing dian zhencang, ‘Collection of the Yangxing Hall’. One narrow side of the ink cake is further inscribed and gilt with the characters yumo, ‘Imperial ink cake’.