Featured Large Signed Asian Marble Thing? Wax Seal?

Measures 4 3/4 inches tall and 2.5 inches wide. There is a dragon sitting on top and the bottom looks like it could be used as a wax seal? Looking for help with the writing one side. THANKS!!!

 

Yes, a repurposed seal.

 

Pluck those felt pads off the seal-face...perhaps between that an' the story on the side, full disclosure is possible?

 

Will do

 

Great! Note how, rather than the border encircling an' isolating the characters within, there are seven (I think) links to the seal...making it all a sort of maze. I don't recall noticing such a detail in those few wax seals I've ever handled...so perhaps they're not significant.
What we need are some skilled translations here.
Oh, an' how much does that seal weigh?

 

987 grams or 2.3 pounds...enough to put a ding into someone's noggin

 

that is an impressive chinese soapstone seal. you can posted it for free on asian art forums and than mr nagy usualy will tell you the translation.

 

Applause an' Roses for I. Nagy!

 

thanks @hunt2 for that info. I'll post back if I get a response

 

Below is the reply I received from asian art forum:

Inscription is a poem by the Tang Dynasty poet Wang Han (王翰）

蒲桃美酒夜光杯
欲飲琵琶馬上催
酔臥沙場君莫笑
古來征戦幾人回

Delicious wine in a luminous cup*
When I tried to drink on the horse, I heard the sound of pipa**
Don't laugh when I get drunk and fell asleep in the desert
After all, from ancient time very few people have ever come back alive from wars

*　It is made of jade, and is one of the specialities in Jiuquan, Gansu Province on the western border of China, the starting point of Chinese military expeditions to the west.
** A plucked string instrument

I can't see any other inscription than the poem,

With regards,
I.Nagy

 

oke do i understand correctly that mr nagy translated the poem on the side of the seal? because he can also translate the seal it self underneath.

 

Yes...I believe that is an accurate observation.

because he can also translate the seal it self underneath.

Did he see it? That is, did you include a pic of the seal face?
If so, then perhaps he couldn't make it out?

 

Here is the latest reply...

Message
Reading the imprint of the (leisure) seal:
高山流水　Gāoshān liúshuĭ　-
High mountains and flowing waters -
Metaphor for a bosom friend or confidant

It looks quite old, but I can't estimate its age.

With regards,
I.Nagy

 

I'm gonna go ahead and say that however 'high mountains and flowing waters' can become an understood metaphor for 'close personal friend' is yet another reason why Chinese poetry totally kicks ass.