The Rare Birds of Taiwan – The Swinhoe's Pheasant Colored Silver Medal

99.9% Pure Silver

38 mm

1 oz.

3,000 pieces

The Swinhoe's Pheasant is endemic to Taiwan. The body of the male bird is dark blue to blackish blue with sapphire highlights along the edge of each feather, while the crest, the nape, and the two long tail feathers, among the others, are snowy white. They inhabit Taiwan's mid- to low-altitude mountainous regions. They are shy and remain well hidden. They are highly alert, making it extremely hard to sight them. This image features the Swinhoe's Pheasant as photographed by Mr. Huang Huan-jun.

A“ru-yi”is a traditional Chinese art object, a talismanic wand usually manufactured from precious or semi-precious materials such as jade, chalcedony, carnelian, etc. that has the power to grant wishes. In ancient times, it was given as a gift from emperors and empresses to nobles and ministers. In later times, it was a precious gift mutually presented by wealthy families to express the wish that all things be as desired. In the image, the two persimmons “shr-shr” mean“everything,” and the magic wand“ru-yi”means“as desired,” by virtue of being homophones, and they constitute a rebus reading:“May Everything Be As Desired.”