China Jade Artifacts of the Western Zhou Dynasty
There were many kinds of jade articles in the Western Zhou Dynasty, and they had unique artistic features. In terms of styling: - In the early days, there were many plain jade pieces. The edges were irregular and there were cutting marks and damages. The surface of the jade was thick inside and thin outside. The middle hole was single-sided. In the later period, there were decorative patterns such as dragon patterns, phoenix patterns, cloud patterns, etc., which were carved with negative lines. The lines were softer and smoother than those of the Shang Dynasty, and the composition was more rigorous. - Most of the congs were square pillars of different heights. The round hole in the center was larger, and the corners were straight and strong. Most of the surfaces were smooth and without patterns. Very few of them were carved with bird patterns or other patterns on the four surfaces of the square body. - The Gui was flat and rectangular, with an equinoceros triangle at the top. It was well-made and generally had no decorative patterns. - Huang was in the shape of a half-wall or a fan, with holes on both ends. In addition to the light plain ones, dragon patterns and phoenix patterns were carved with shallow Yin lines, and there were also animal-shaped ones, which were more vivid and unique. - Most dagger-axes inherited the shape and characteristics of the Shang Dynasty. There were small and exquisitely made small jade dagger-axes, as well as jade dagger-axes decorated with phoenix and divine beast (human) patterns. - Most of the handles were flat, with different shapes and sizes. Most of them were the same as those of the Shang Dynasty. A few of them had patterns such as bird patterns and cloud patterns on the surface, and the ends might be inlaid with turquoise and jade strips. - Jue is an oblate object, like a ring or a piece of jade, but with a gap. It is a popular earring. Most of them are plain and have no patterns. A few of them have phoenix patterns and dragon patterns carved by Yin lines. - The face of the god, man and beast was decorated in flat embossed. The face had the style of the Shang Dynasty. The word minister, cloud head and nose, flat crown and hat on the head, curly horn-shaped decoration on both sides of the head, flat and smooth back, tenons and holes under the neck, probably inlaid jewelry. - There were many dragon-shaped objects, and the lines of decoration became smooth and smooth from the square folding of the Shang Dynasty. In the later period, the dragon body was long and thin, and the carving of the horns was not obvious and even became cloud-shaped ears. The word "minister" was gradually replaced by round eyes. - Birds were mostly flat cuboids, with circles as eyes, short horns on the top of their heads, wide beaks with protruding tips on the upper and lower ends, wide drooping tails, and a few Yin lines on their bodies to represent wings and long tails. - The owl glided with flat wings. Its hooked beak was curved at the chest and had a hole. It had round eyes and a short herringbone line between its forehead. Its back was engraved with a cloud and thunder pattern. The short tail was fine and there were holes and pits under its abdomen. - The cow was standing, with short limbs and simple hoofs. Its body was round and smooth without any patterns, its tail drooped, and its head was slightly smaller than that of the Shang Dynasty. - Tigers were mostly flat and flat, lying down, with their heads looking flat or drooping, cloud-shaped ears protruding upward, mouths showing teeth, tails upturned or curled, and simple decorations in the later stage, only a single Yin line was used to represent the outline of the limbs. - The deer was shaped like a sheet and had many shapes. It was light and had no patterns. There were only a few outlines, but the antlers were exquisitely carved. - The fish's body is flat, either straight or slightly curved in a semicircle, the circle is the eye, the mouth is wide and pointed at both ends, there is a short shadow line carved with the back fin and the lower abdomen dividing fin, the tail part is small fork, the fish body is smooth or decorated with curved scales. In terms of craftsmanship, the Yin lines were exquisitely carved and the lines were smooth. In terms of decorative patterns, dragon patterns, phoenix patterns, cloud patterns, etc. were commonly seen. The decorative patterns on different jade articles had their own characteristics, reflecting the unique artistic style and production level of the jade articles of the Western Zhou Dynasty. Read more exciting novels for free
Appreciation of Jade Artifacts in Shang Dynasty and Western Zhou Dynasty
Jade Artifacts in the Form of Deer in the Western Zhou Dynasty
The deer-shaped jade ware of the Western Zhou Dynasty was mostly used as ornaments. Judging from the excavation situation, the known jade articles of the Western Zhou Dynasty were mainly unearthed in the tombs of the Western Zhou Dynasty. There were many tombs of the Western Zhou Dynasty and they were widely distributed. Among them, the capital area of the Zhou Dynasty and the capital ruins of the feudal circles were more concentrated. The jade articles in these tombs included funerary jade and the utensils used by the tomb owner before his death. Among the types of jade articles unearthed, there were more jade articles based on deer. The deer-shaped jade articles of the Western Zhou Dynasty had distinctive artistic features. The jade deers that were seen were even divided into male and female, as well as big and small. Most of them were embossed works, and a small number were round sculptures. Most of the shapes were flat and sheet-like, which might be the result of the scarcity of materials or the development of sheet cutting technology. The proportions of the various parts of the Jade Deer's body were relatively accurate. On the basis of realism, artistic exaggeration was carried out to summarize the overall appearance and exaggerate the local characteristics. The Yin lines outlined the detailed characteristics, such as the eyes, snout, hoofs, and other parts. It showed that the deer was looking up and was ready to attack. It was full of vitality. Some of the jade deer had long and thick horns, or curved backwards, or split into two branches that were flat to the left and right, with the front branch rising up and curling into a round hole. The deer had large eyes, a protruding chest, and a plump body. The muscles or body muscles were expressed succinctly and briskly. Many jade deers had holes carved into their necks for hanging. In terms of collections, the Guo State Museum in Sanmenxia City, Henan Province, the Shanxi Museum, and the Baoji Bronze Museum all had collections of Western Zhou jade deer. <a href="/?from=ask_words" style="color:red" target="_blank">Read more exciting novels for free</a>
Ancient China Jade Artifacts of the Shang Dynasty
The Shang Dynasty was a unified multi-ethnic country with a complete patriarch system. Jade articles became the treasures monopolized by the emperors, and there were a variety of them. In addition to religious objects, there were also tools, daily necessities, accessories, and jade ornaments. Among them, ritual vessels and jade carvings of figures were the most precious. For example, jade Zhang, jade Cong, jade Bi, etc., the value of figure carvings was even higher. The value of round carvings of animals and containers was second only to that of jade carvings of people. They were worth collecting. This was because the round carvings of people and animals were difficult to craft and had realistic artistic characteristics. They could reflect the social appearance of the time and had high artistic, economic, and scientific value. In addition, there were many types of tools and weapons in the Shang Dynasty. The production level was divided into high and low. The ceremonial utensils or weapons were exquisite and beautiful, which was also worth collecting. Jade articles in the early part of the Shang Dynasty were represented by the relics unearthed from Erlitou site and tombs in Yanshi, Henan Province. There were many kinds of jade articles such as jade Gui and jade Cong. Some of the new articles might be used for etiquette. The production of large-scale thin articles showed the progress of jade technology at that time. In the later part of the Shang Dynasty, the Erligang site in Zhengzhou was represented. Jade articles such as jade Zhang and jade Ge were also unearthed from other Shang Dynasty sites and tombs. <a href="/?from=ask_words" style="color:red" target="_blank">Read more exciting novels for free</a>
Western Zhou Dynasty jade, ancient jade
Jade articles of the Western Zhou Dynasty were an important part of the development of ancient jade articles in China. There were many types of jade in the Western Zhou Dynasty. The following were some of the common types: - ** Jade Bi **: In the early days, there were many plain jade pieces. The edges were irregular and there were cutting marks and damages. The surface was thick inside and thin outside. There was a deep straight line cut, and the middle hole was single-sided. In the later period, there were decorative patterns such as dragon patterns, phoenix patterns, and cloud patterns carved by negative lines. The lines were softer and smoother than those of the Shang Dynasty, and the composition was more rigorous. - ** Jade Cong **: Most of the shapes are square pillars of different heights. The round hole in the center is larger, and the corners are straight and strong. Most of the surfaces are smooth without patterns. Very few of them are carved with bird patterns or other decorations on the four surfaces of the square body. - Gui: It was an important ritual vessel of the Western Zhou Dynasty. It was flat and rectangular, with an equinocratic triangle at the top. It was well-made and generally had no decorative patterns. - ** Huang **: Half-wall or fan-shaped, with holes on both ends. Other than the light element ones, the dragon patterns and phoenix patterns were usually carved with light dark lines. The lines were smooth and there were also some that were directly in the shape of animals, which was more vivid and unique. - ** Ge **: Most of them inherited the shape and characteristics of the Shang Dynasty Ge. There are also small and exquisitely made small jade Ge ornaments. Some are decorated with phoenix and divine beast (human) patterns. The design is ingenious and the shape is unique, increasing the sacred and noble atmosphere. - ** Handle-shaped ware **: flat body, different shapes and sizes, most of them are the same as the handle-shaped ware of the Shang Dynasty, a few of them have bird patterns and cloud patterns on the surface, and the end is inlaid with decorative objects made of turquoise and jade strips, which may have ceremonial or symbolic significance. - ** Jue **: Oblate round, shaped like a ring or a piece of jade but with a gap. It is a popular earring. Most of them are light and have no patterns. A few of them have phoenix patterns or dragon patterns carved by Yin lines. The lines are smooth and the craftsmanship is exquisite. - ** God, Man, and Beast Face Ornaments **: A flat embossed shape. The face is engraved with the style of the Shang Dynasty. The word "minister" is written on it. It has a cloud head and a nose. It wears a flat hat. There are curly horn-shaped ornaments on both sides of the head. The back is flat and smooth. There are holes under the neck. It may be inlaid jewelry. - ** Dragon **: Its shape is basically similar to the dragon of the Shang Dynasty. There are many pieces. The decorative lines have become smooth and smooth from the square folding of the Shang Dynasty. In the later period, the dragon body is thin and long. The carving of the horns is not obvious and even becomes cloud-shaped ears. The word "minister" is gradually replaced by round eyes. - ** Bird **: flat cuboid, mostly with circles as eyes, short horns on the top of the head, wide mouth with protruding tips at the upper and lower ends, wide drooping tail, less complex geometric patterns of the Shang Dynasty on the body, with a small number of Yin lines to represent the wings and long tail, two claws lying down, a round hole in the chest. - ** owl **: It glides with flat wings. Its beak is curved at the chest and has a hole. It has round eyes and a dense herringbone line on its forehead. The double hook lines on its back are engraved with the pattern of clouds and thunder. The line on the short tail is more dense. There is a special structure under the abdomen. It may still be a god worshipped in the Western Zhou Dynasty. - ** Ox **: Standing posture, four short limbs with simple hoofs, round body, smooth without any patterns, drooping tail, head ratio slightly smaller than the Shang Dynasty, has a certain realistic meaning. - ** Tiger **: There are many flat plates. The shape is the same as that of the Shang Dynasty. It is lying down. The tiger head is flat or drooping. The cloud-shaped ears are raised upwards. The mouth is open and the teeth are exposed. The tail is upturned or curled. The early decoration is similar to that of the Shang Dynasty. In the later period, only a single Yin line is used to represent the outline of the limbs. - [Deer]: There are models such as turning back, looking forward, lying down, standing, etc. They are generally in the shape of a sheet. They are light and have no patterns. They only have a simple outline, but their antlers are exquisitely carved. - Fish: Inherited the shape of the late Shang Dynasty, flat, or straight or slightly curved in a semicircle, the circle is the eye, the mouth is wide and pointed at both ends, there is a short shadow line carved on the back fin and the lower abdomen dividing fin, the tail part is a small fork, the fish body is light or decorated with curved scale patterns, the shadow line is carved shallow and thin, the mouth is often pierced. These Western Zhou jades had a unique artistic style in terms of craftsmanship, shape, and decoration, reflecting the culture, etiquette, and aesthetic concepts of the time. <a href="/?from=ask_words" style="color:red" target="_blank">Read more exciting novels for free</a>
Dragon Jade Pendant of Western Zhou Dynasty
The ritual jade ware of the Western Zhou Dynasty
The Western Zhou Dynasty implemented the enfeoffment system and the patriarch system, and the hierarchy was strict. This had a great impact on the jade system of the Western Zhou Dynasty. The ritual jade of the Western Zhou Dynasty had clear rules on the use of grades. Gui was an important ritual vessel in the Western Zhou Dynasty. It was flat and rectangular, with an equinoceros triangle at the top. It was well-made and generally had no decorative patterns. Cong was shaped as a square pillar of different heights. The central hole was larger, and the corners were straight and strong. Most of the surfaces were smooth and without patterns. Very few were carved with bird patterns or other patterns on the four surfaces of the square body. In the early days, there were many plain jade, with irregular edges and cutting marks and damages. The surface of the jade was thick inside and thin outside, with deep straight cuts, and the middle hole was single-sided drilled. In the later period, there were dragon patterns, phoenix patterns, cloud patterns and other decorations carved by negative lines on the surface of the jade. Huang was in the shape of a half-wall or a fan, with holes on both ends. In addition to the plain ones, there were usually dragon patterns and phoenix patterns carved with shallow Yin lines, and there were also those directly shaped like animals, which were more vivid and unique. These jades played an important role in the etiquette system of the Western Zhou Dynasty. <a href="/?from=ask_words" style="color:red" target="_blank">Read more exciting novels for free</a>
Various Jade Artifacts in China
There were many types of jade in China, and different historical periods had different representative jade. In prehistoric times, the ancestors of the Hemudu culture in the south made beautiful stone ornaments to open the prologue of China jade culture. In the middle and late Neolith Age, the jade artifacts unearthed from Liangzhu culture in Taihu Lake Basin and Hongshan culture in Liaohe River Basin were eye-catching. The typical objects of Liangzhu culture include jade Cong, jade Bi, jade axe, trident jade articles and string jade ornaments, etc. The typical objects of Hongshan culture include jade dragon, jade animal ornaments, jade hoop ornaments, etc. The style of the Xia Dynasty jade ware was the transition form of the Liangzhu culture, Longshan culture, Hongshan culture jade ware to the Yin Shang jade ware, such as the seven-hole jade knife unearthed from the Erlitou site in Yanshi, Henan Province. The late Shang Dynasty was represented by the jade articles unearthed from Fuhao Tomb of Yin Ruins in Anyang. According to their uses, they were divided into six categories: ritual vessels, ceremonial vessels, tools, daily utensils, decorations, and miscellaneous vessels. There were practical vessels such as jasper Gui and sapphire Gui. There were many animal and human jade articles, such as jade dragon, jade phoenix, jade parrot, jade man, etc. There were also the earliest beautiful jade articles and a large number of round carvings in China. The Western Zhou Dynasty created a unique jade-carving technique of carving thick lines or thin Yin lines on one side of the slope. There were bird-shaped jade knives and animal-faced jade ornaments. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the various feudal lords regarded jade as the embodiment of themselves (gentlemen) and wore jade ornaments. In the Yuan Dynasty, there was a giant wine container called "Dushan Jade Sea", also known as jade urn and jade bowl. The body of the container was oval and weighed 3500 kilograms. The walls around the container were carved with waves, fish dragons, seahorses and other sea beasts. In addition, there was also Hetian jade. One could identify the authenticity of Hetian jade by scraping it with a knife (Hetian jade hardness 6 - 6.9, ordinary knife hardness 5.5, can scrape off foam is fake) or measuring the density (normal density is between 2.85 - 3.05). <a href="/?from=ask_words" style="color:red" target="_blank">Read more exciting novels for free</a>
Jade Artifacts of Song Dynasty
Jade articles of the Song Dynasty had many characteristics. Judging from the social background of its development, the Song Dynasty respected culture, emphasized agriculture, and prospered commerce. The economy, politics, culture, and technology flourished, and the people's living standards improved. This prompted the emergence of jade articles with folk characteristics. The most typical feature of the Song Dynasty jade ware was that it got rid of the exclusive use of jade by nobles and became a real commodity to participate in the circulation. The style was more filled with folk characteristics and entered the era of "civilian jade". There were many kinds of jade ornaments, including palace art treasures, small folk jade ornaments, and many practical and decorative jade articles, such as jade combs, jade hairpins, jade paperweights, etc. In terms of artistic style, it was different from the jade ware of the Tang Dynasty. The jade ware of the Song Dynasty was fresh and natural, simple and simple. The carving style and theme were mostly realistic, focusing on the details of people, animals, and plants, especially the complicated carvings of dragons, phoenixes, unicorns, peacocks, and so on. They were exquisite and had both form and spirit, showing a high degree of unity between life and art. In the Song Dynasty, because the emperors valued literature over martial arts, advocated Confucianism and studied Confucian classics, epigraphy rose, and ancient customs prevailed. In particular, Emperor Huizong and Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty were interested in ancient jade articles and collected many antique collections. In addition, the connoisseur of the Northern Song Dynasty, Lu Dalin, wrote a jade article research book,"Archeological Map". Under such circumstances, a large number of antique jade articles appeared. However, the ancient jade articles of the Song Dynasty were not purely imitations. Instead, they used classical art as the basic material. On the basis of inheriting the shape and shape of the jade articles of the Xia, Shang, Zhou and Han Dynasties, they incorporated the innovative style and carving skills of contemporary jade articles. The essence was the revival and resurgence of culture. Jade articles in the Southern Song Dynasty became more secular. On the one hand, there was a natural realistic style based on bionic devices and flower and bird patterns, and the layout was influenced by the flower and bird paintings of the Song Dynasty. On the other hand, it was guided by the academic purport of the scholar-bureaucrats 'epigraphy. Jade articles showed retro characteristics, popular patterns such as dragon tiger patterns, cloud patterns, valley patterns, etc. There were antique shapes such as jade You, jade Bi, jade belt hook, etc. During the Southern Song Dynasty, jade objects like jade rings were used to express the feelings of returning to the ancient times. Small objects could also be used as accessories. <a href="/?from=ask_words" style="color:red" target="_blank">Read more exciting novels for free</a>
On Jade Artifacts of Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368) was a powerful empire established by the Mongolians. Its jade ware had the following characteristics: ** 1. Production Center and Production Management ** 1. ** Production Center ** - Kublai Khan, the ancestor of the Yuan Dynasty, set up the Gold and Jade General Manager Office in Hangzhou, which was under the jurisdiction of thousands of skilled jade carving craftsmen in the south. He made Dadu in the north (now Beijing) and Hangzhou in the south become the production center of jade carvings in the north and south. 2. ** Production Management ** - The official jade production center was strictly managed. It specialized in providing jade for the royal family. It mainly produced large-scale fine jade carvings, precious jade carvings, and large-scale jade mountains that could reflect the achievements of the Yuan Dynasty jade carvings. Their decorative patterns, carving methods, and production techniques were quite exquisite. They had the characteristics and style of the Yuan Dynasty jade carvings. Moreover, the number of carved jade carvings was considerable and widely used. According to the regulations, the small jade carving workshops were only allowed to make decorative jade articles and small jade articles. ** 2. Type and Representative Jade Artifacts ** 1. ** A wide variety ** - There were jade seas (such as the jade sea of Dushan Mountain), jade hat tops (such as jade hat tops carved with double dragon patterns, jade hat tops carved with lioness patterns, jade hat tops carved with human patterns, etc.), jade belt rings (such as jade dragon belt rings with white jade beads), jade stove tops (such as white jade carved human stove tops), jade walls (such as jade walls with phoenix and peony patterns), jade rings (such as jade rings with dragon patterns), jade books, and many other types. 2. ** Representative Jade ** - [Dushan Mountain Jade Sea] was a type of jade carving object that belonged to the Jade Sea category. Its history could be traced back to the Shang Dynasty. In ancient times, it was used as a ritual vessel to represent good fortune and power. The jade carving technique was complicated. It required the selection of high-quality jade raw materials and then carving and polishing. When making, factors such as the texture, color, and texture of the jade had to be considered. It had extremely high artistic value and collection value. - ** Yuan carved double dragon pattern jade hat top **: It is a kind of jade hat top among jade carving objects. Its history can be traced back to the 13th century. In ancient times, it was used as a noble costume to represent noble status and noble status. It uses the hollowed-out carving technique and has a fine craftsmanship. It chooses high-quality jade raw materials for carving and polishing. The shape is exquisite and the carving is exquisite. It has a high artistic value and collection value. - ** White jade bead pattern cloud dragon ring **: It is a jade ring jade carving object. Its history can be traced back to the Han Dynasty. In ancient times, it was a noble's clothing item, representing noble status and noble status. The craftsmanship was exquisite, and high-quality white jade was selected to be carved and polished. The shape was simple and elegant, and the carving was exquisite. It had a high historical and cultural significance. ** 3. Craftsmanship ** 1. ** Drawn by literati painting ** - Craftsmanship was influenced by the well-developed literati paintings. 2. ** Combination of various crafts ** - For example, the top of the jade hat with figure patterns was a combination of round carving, open carving and flat carving, and there were obvious traces of pipe drilling, which was unique to the Yuan Dynasty. The top of the jade hat with dragon patterns was a combination of multi-layer open carving, round carving and flat carving. The craftsmen also used the color of jade skin to carve leaves and flowers, which was one of the typical works of the Yuan Dynasty. ** 4. Art Value and Collection Value ** - Many of the jade works in the Yuan Dynasty had very high artistic value and collection value. For example, the jade sea of Dushan Mountain had exquisite carving skills and beautiful shapes, and the jade hat top of the Yuan Dynasty had exquisite shapes and exquisite carvings. They all had very high historical and cultural significance. <a href="/?from=ask_words" style="color:red" target="_blank">Read more exciting novels for free</a>
Jade Artifacts of the Jin Dynasty
The jades of the Jin Dynasty had the following characteristics: - ** Material and Model **: The material of the artifact is mainly made of sapphire, white jade, and agate. Most of the models were based on natural animals and plants, and most of the decorations were in the shape of pieces, using the method of engraving and engraving. - ** Type **: The ornaments include the spiritual turtle lotus pendant, flower-shaped pendant, flower-and-bird pendant, lotus fish-shaped pendant, double deer-shaped pendant, double deer-patterned buckle, flower-shaped ring, eagle-pecking swan pattern pendant (spring water jade), mountain forest animal pattern pendant (autumn mountain jade), flying sky, etc. The ceremonial instruments include gold buckle jade belt; the ornamental dragon ornaments include jade boy, mountain elder-shaped handle (stove top), jade horse, etc. - ** Craftsmanship ** - ** Round Carved Figure **: The round carved figure is smaller (usually 5 to 6 cm). - ** Engraving Skill **: Skilled in carving skills, usually single-layer carving, double-layer or multi-layer carving is rare. - Yin line carving: Yin line carving is a continuation of Tang and Song jade, but the lines are both wide and thin, hard and soft, and the strong short lines of Tang jade are basically gone. - ** Jade belt **: The upper plate of the jade belt is mostly light and simple in shape, but only the jade belt with gold buckle from Guilin is left. In addition to the thallium-tail, there is also a golden conch and a golden ring. The craftsmanship is unique and the design is novel. - ** Representative of typical craftsmanship **: Chunshui jade is mostly carved from high-quality white jade. It is embossed, engravings, and Yin line engravings. The craftsmanship is complicated and exquisite. The most simple and rough carving technique is the double deer-shaped pendant produced by Alimi Gugui in Suihua County, Hei Long Jiang Province. It is composed of two oak leaves. There are two male and female deers in the triangular outline. The silhouette shape is summarized. The knife technique is extremely simple, but it is vivid and cute. Its craftsmanship is the representative style of animal jade carving in the Jin Dynasty. - ** Connection with social culture **: Some jade articles reflected the living customs of the Jurchen nobles or civilians. The theme of the articles included more characteristics and requirements of local living customs. Most of these jade articles were used by the Jin nobles and civilians. <a href="/?from=ask_words" style="color:red" target="_blank">Read more exciting novels for free</a>