SHOU LAO CARVING Antique Wood Child Fish Staff Crane Peaches God of Longevity Immortality Fortune Prosperity Protruding Head Chinese Deity.

 Selling as I am down sizing.

Antique Wood Carving Shou Lao (Chinese God of Longevity) - Measures approximately 14" h x 5.5" w. Made of a heavyweight dense wood. Shou Lao has a protruding forehead which represents wisdom. He's holding a large staff and branches with peaches. There is a crane catching a fish standing on one side of him which also represents longevity. Shou Lao has a child holding onto him on his other side who's offering a a furry animal  Entire carving has great detail - feather pattern on crane, glass eyes, long flowing beard, ornate staff, open work on base etc. Carved from one piece of wood. There are some small “age cracks” (see photographs for detail) and the back has a little bleaching because of being in direct day light.
Shou Lao was originally a mortal but became the head of the celestial department which determines a person's lifespan. He lives in a star known as 'Shou xing', Canopus in Western constellation and is said to visit the earth once a year. Shou xing can only rarely be seen in the very low sky in the Northern hemisphere. This is the reason Chinese believe that seeing the Shou xing will bring long life and good fortune.