Money tree with bear-form support

22 elements attached to the main body, 8 of which are not shown in the picture.
The terracotta bear (h 24.5 cm), welded to the tree as its stand, is probably original. The bear is seated with its front paws resting on its knees. Its eyes are formed by two pieces of inlaid turquoise and it must have originally been covered with a thick beige-pink slip, which is only preserved in certain points. The inside of the mouth is painted red and pink.
The trunk of the tree (h 114.5 cm) is adorned with engraved waves and has a set of four rings at regular intervals, each with four housings for the branches. Between the rings, on either side of the trunk, there are three equally spaced perforated plates shaped like small shovels, which were cast together with the trunk. The miniature depictions on these are similar to those on the branches of the tree, mainly depicting human characters engaged in various activities on several levels. The four levels of undulating branches are hooked on to the rings and arranged radially in four directions; some of the branches are in turn composed of various removable elements.
The tree is crowned with a large bird (see Zhu Que), with ornamental plumage curving forward on its heads and a flat tail stretched out in a curved triangle. It also has two removable wings, from which hang two small bell-shaped ornaments decorated with fish. Traces of gilding are found all over the bird and on the other decorations, but it seems to have been applied in an irregular manner from the start.
All the very fine decorative elements, especially the sixteen lateral branches, are characterised by the repeated shape of sapechi, surrounded by petals or filaments that perhaps represent the stamens of flowers. These are also interspersed with long leaves similar to those of the willow, which strengthen the reference to tree blossom. Among these decorative elements can be seen numerous figures, which presumably represent the various parts of a short story or have symbolic value - perhaps to ward off evil or bring good fortune. We see, for example, common folk, wearing tunics and trousers alongside nobles or scholars, recognisable by their long robes with wide sleeves and hats indicating their rank, or (level 3) elephants with drivers about to enter the gates of a city, archers hunting for deer (level 1 top), figures in conflict (summit level 2), as well as deer, tiger masks, bird with long feathers and other animals. Four dragon heads support the lowest level of branches in their mouths. Figures of deer are particularly recurrent: we also find two (male and female) on a branch on the second level, on either side of a rock, facing the figure seated on it. This is probably a depiction of Dongwanggong.