A Chinese bronze spirit tablet

A Chinese bronze spirit tablet, resting on the back of a horned turtle-like beast, cast with a ferocious expression and with two small, sinuous dragons, the tablet cast with five rows of calligraphy which includes the date for the first year of the Yongle reign which corresponds to 1403, 33.5cm.

铜铸聖德碑

銘文：皇考大聖之德，當享樂之運，受上天之承命，正中夏之文明，開子孫萬事之基業，赤子椂恭城鴻業，夙興夜寐，效顯揚德，惟永樂元年六月戊午，合成之斛，本冊寶上，尊儒臣恭修皇考，稽古創行勤石。