A Chinese bronze scroll weight, Ming dynasty, 17th century, modelled as Liu Hai reclining, holding in his left hand a string of coins, with his three-legged toad resting on his knee, 8.5cm longNotes: Liu Hai was a Minister of State of the 10th century and was a student of Taoist magic. He was said to possess a mythical creature, the three-legged toad, which could convey him to any place he wished to go. Occasionally the toad would escape, yet Liu Hai could easily lure him out with a line baited with gold coins. The scene of Liu Hai sporting with the toad is conducive to good fortune as the three-legged toad is also linked with the symbol for money-making. However, these characters are also linked with a story where the toad lives in a deep pool of poisonous water which emits vapours to injure people. Liu Hai could catch the toad with a gold cash and destroy him, alluding to the moral that money is an attraction which lures men to their ruin.