翻尾石鱼 Roll-Tailed Stone Fish

文物名称：翻尾石鱼 
文物时间：乾隆十六年（1751） 
文物位置：未名湖西 
文物类别：石刻雕塑 
Name: Roll-Tailed Stone Fish 
Time: 1751 
Location: West of WeiMing Lake 
Category: Stone Sculpture

文物特色

石鱼用黄褐色细石精雕而成。鱼身长165厘米，高87厘米，下部鱼肚宽90厘米，上部鱼嘴宽42厘米。清代，此鱼位于谐奇趣楼南大型海棠式喷水池之正中，口内喷出水柱，可上升十余米。

历史溯源

翻尾石鱼为圆明园中长春园“谐奇趣”中遗物，造型奇特，身雕鳞状花纹、张口朝天属于西洋石刻艺术。1860年圆明园被焚毁后，翻尾石鱼也被变卖，后来被朗润园的主人载涛买下运到朗润园并在园中放置多年。根据《平西报》《燕京新闻》记载，石鱼在朗润园里放置多年，燕京大学1930班学生毕业时，将此石鱼买来送给母校，安置在未名湖畔。

“文革”期间，石鱼惨遭不幸，被悍然推入水中，等到粉碎四人帮以后，1981年夏天，抽干了湖水，石鱼重见天日，遗憾的是，石鱼的尾部和嘴部都断掉了。校方想方设法按照原样修补，才勉强使这一文物得以保全。现在的石鱼放置在未名湖西岸附近，远远望去，像是将塔影含在口中。

Distinguishing Feature

The stone fish was carved by tawny fine stone. The fish is 165 centimeters in length, 87centimeters high and the lower fish maw is 90 centimeters in width. The upper fish mouth is 42 cengtimeters wide. The fish is located in the centre of Haitang-type fountain and it can blow more than 10-meter high water column.

History

The stones were relics of Yuanmingyuan with peculiar model, squamous flowers body and upturned mouth, which belongs to western sculpture art. In 1860 when Yuanmingyuan was fired, the fish was sold. Afterwards, it was bought by ZaiTao and placed in Lang-Yun Yuan for many years. According to Yenching News and Pingxi Newspaper, stone fish was purchased by graduates of Yenching University in 1930 as a gift to the school and placed near the WeiMing Lake.

During the Cultural Revolution, the fish encountered misfortune that it was pushed to lake. After “the gang of four” was broken down, in the summer of 1981, when the lake was dried, the fish appeared again. But unfortunately, the tail and mouth were destroyed. The school tried every means to mend it as its original appearance. Now it’s placed near the west of the WeiMing Lake. It looks like that the fish keeps the shadow of the tower in mouth.