Lot 101. A lobed famille-rose 'floral' abstinence plaque, Qing dynasty, Qianlong period  (1736-1795). Estimate 150,000 — 200,000 HKD. Photo: Sotheby's 

of quatrelobed form, one side centred with a vertical oval raised gilt band enclosing the characters zhaijie ('abstinence'), surrounded by a composite floral scroll delicately rendered in the famille-rose palette against a white ground, the reverse similarly rendered save for the central cartouche, inscribed in Manchu script with bolgomi karga ('purity charm [pendant]'), all within gilt and moulded sides, pierced vertically through the centre with an aperture - 5.3 cm, 2 in.

Notes: The term zhaijie refers to a ritual cleansing of the body from within, whereby one abstains from meat, intoxicants, intimate relations and the five strong smelling vegetables. 

Sotheby's. Important Chinese Art: The Collection of a Parisian Connoisseur, Part III. Hong Kong, 05 oct. 2016, 11:30 AM