Author: Liu Bin
Language: Chinese and English bilingual
ISBN/ISSN: 7030160096
2005; Hardcover;220x300mm;240

Zhejiang has a long history of jade-working. From conceptual and artistic points of view this history is divisible into three periods, including the Neolithic, text the Xia and Shang through Han and Six Dynasties and finally the Sui through Tang periods. It was not until the 1970’s that the jade culture of Zhejiang was scientifically recognized, through finds primarily of the Neolithic, Spring and Autumn, and Warring States periods. Zhejiang’s Neolithnic consists of three phases: early, Middle and late.
The special characteristic of the early period is the different between jade cultures located on north and south banks of the Qiantang River in Zhenjiang. On the south bank one finds jade beads, slit rings and thin and narrow huang with one end pierced for suspension. On the north bank, during the early phase of the Majiabang Culture, one finds only jade slit rings and slit ring-shaped bracelets yet during the late phase thin and narrow huang begin to appear.

The middle period of the Neolithic is represented in Zhejiang by the Songze Culture. Songze Culture jades consist primarily of ornaments that used individually to decorate the body. The most popular jade is huang, which is found throughout the lower reaches of the Yangtze River valley and in the area of the Yellow and Huai River valleys. Based on the fact that the geological source of nephrite jade is known and based on working methods, a new phase of jade-working begins during the Songze Culture period.
The late period of the Neolithic in Zhejiang belongs to the Liangzhu Culture and its successor, the Longshan. The Liangzhu culture represents the height of jade-working in Zhejiang. In terms of numbers, style, type and working techniques, Liangzhu jades far surpass their predecessor culture, Songze. Outside of the ornamental jade types decorating the body, ritual forms of jades become popular. The most significant ritual and insignia jade types include cong, yue, bi, crown shapes, three-prong shapes, awl shapes, huang, bracelets, plaques and beads. Outside of the religious symbol of human deity in combination with animal face is the image of the dragon head, inherited from the Songze Culture. The material worked by Liangzhu jade crafts people is primarily tremolite nephrite. Jade-working techniques of the Liangzhu Culture greatly advance beyond those of Songze.
Based on the fact that no large-scale tombs have been found in the Lake Tai region, the last phase of the Liangzhu Culture is not well understood.
Xia, Shang and Zhou periods represent the Bronze Age of China. With the discovery of bronze and its uses, social production levels greatly advance. Accompanying this technical development, jade working reaches a new level in terms of typology and numbers.
Jade works from Shang and Zhou bombs in Zhejiang are few.
The states of Wu and Yue in Zhejiang during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods gradually strengthen in military and economic power. During the 1980’s several large-scale burials were discovered and gradually excavated, creating a new opportunity to understand jades of these eras.
Since no Qin or Han period large tombs have been found in Zhejiang, jades are few.
After the Sui and Tang periods, the attitude toward working jade gradually changes from one in which jade was revered as ritually significant and spiritually powerful to one favoring jade primarily as a rich and beautiful material, enjoyable for its own sake.
Since antiquity, Zhejiang has been an area of great human settlement. Nonetheless since the Tang period and later, burials have been largely destroyed, leaving little evidence for the use of jade.

Table of Contents


Contents

Jades Unearthed From the area of Zhejiang
Chronology
1.Arc-shaped Pendants
2.Slit Rings (jue) and Beads
3.Three Arc-shaped Pendants
4.Slit Ring (jue) and Unfinished Tubular Beads
5.Slit Rings (jue) and Slit Ring-shaped Bracelets
6.Slit Ring (jue) and Arc-shaped Pendant (huang)
7.Arc-shaped Pendant (huang)
8.Arc-shaped Pendant (huang)
9.Axe (yue)
10.Bracelet
11.Bracelet
12.Bracelet
13.Four Pendants
14.Slit ring (jue) and Arc-shaped Pendant
15.Arc-shaped Pendant (huang)
16.Pair of Slit Rings (jue)
17.Arc-shaped Pendant (huang)
18.Arc-shaped Pendant (huang)
19.Arc-shaped Pendant
20.Head Ornaments, Earrings and Arc-shaped Pendant (huang)
21.Slit Rings (jue) and Arc-shaped Pendants (huang)
22.Arc-shaped Pendant (huang) and Beads
23.Slit Rings (jue) and Tube
24.Bracelet
25.Axe (yue)
26.Pendant in the Shape of a Dragon
27.Pendant in the Shape of a dragon Head
28.Cong-shaped Tube
29.Bracelet
30.Two Comb Spines in the Shape of Crests
31.Bracelet
32.Tube (cong)
33.Tube (cong)
34.Disc (bi)
35.Tube (cong
36.Axe (yue)
37.Tube (cong)
38.Bracelet
39.Disc (bi)
40.Axe (yue)
41.Disc (bi)
42.Tube (cong)
43.Axe (yue)
44.Axe (yue)
45.|Bracelet
46.Axe (yue)
47.Comb Spine in the Shape of a crest
48.Forked Object
49.Pendant and Slit Ring (jue)
50.Awl-shaped Ornament (with cap)
51.Bird
52.Forked Object
53.Tube (cong)
54.Forked Object
55.Sickle
56.Object in the Shape of a Hoe Blade
57.Cong-shaped Tube
58.Disc (bi)
59.Two Comb Spines in the Shape of crests
60.Two Arc-shaped Pendants (huang)
61.Two Slit Rings (jue)
62.Pendant in the Shape of a Dragon
63.String of Beads
64.Pendant in the Shape of a Dragon Head
65.Comb Spine in the Shape of a Crest
66.Axe (yue)
67.Bracelet
68.Awl-shaped Ornaments
69.Comb with Jade Spine
70.Tube (cong)
71.Close-up of Emblem Incised on Tube (cong)
72.Cylindrical Object
73.Tube (cong)
74.Tube (cong)
75.Tube (cong)
76.Tube (cong)
77.Tube (cong)
78.Tube (cong)
79.Tube (cong)
80.Disc (bi)
81.Pair of Tubes
82.Three Cong-shaped Tubes
83.Comb Spine in the Shape of a Crest
84.Comb Spine in the Shape of a Crest
85.Comb Spine in the Shape of a Crest
86.Axe (yue) and Fittings
87.Axe (yue) and Fittings
88.Forked Object
89.Forked Object and Fitting
90.Ornament in the Shape of a bird
91.Ornament in the Shape of a Bird
92.Nine Awl-shaped Ornaments
93.Arc-Shaped Pendant (huang)
94.Cylindrical Ornament
95.Object in the Shape of a Handle
96.Belt Hook
97.Neck Ornament
98.String of Beads
99.Pendant in the Shape of a Cicada
100.Pendant in the Shape of a Fish
101.Ornament in the Shape of a Turtle
102.Fragments of Weaving tools
103.Tube (cong)
104.Tube (cong)
105.Tube (cong)
106.Tube )(cong)
107.Tube (cong)
108.Tube (cong)
109.Covered Cylindrical Object
110.Axe (yue)
111.Comb Spine in the Shape of a Crest
112.Plaque
113.Forked Object and Fitting
114.Forked Object
115.Forked Object
116.Arc-shaped Pendant (huang)
117.Plaque
118.Bracelet
119.Bracelet
120.Handle
121.Handle
122.Belt Hook
123.Ornament in the Shape of a Bird
124.Ornament
125.Tube
126.Cong-shaped Tubes
127.String of Tubular Beads
128.String of Tubular Beads
129.Spoon
130.Object in the Shape of a Dagger
131.Ring-shaped Base
132.Arc-shaped Pendant (huang)
133.Disc (bi)
134.Tube (cong)
135.Forked Object
136.Comb Spine in the Shape of a Crest
137.Axe (yue)
138.Disc (bi)
139.Two Tubes (cong)
140.Tube (cong)
141.Forked Object
142.Cylindrical Object
143.Pair of Tubes
144.Tube (cong)
145.Three Plaques
146.Axe (yue)
147.Arc-shaped Pendant (huang)
148.Bracelet
149.Finial
150.Tube
151.Bracelet in the Shape of a Slit Ring (jue)
152.Object in the Shape of a Handle
153.Vessel (zun)
154.Hook in the Shape of a Dragon
155.Matting-weight
156.Pendent in the shape of a Tiger
157.Pendant in the Shape of a Dragon
158.Pair of Belt Hooks
159.Two Tubes
160.Notched Ring
161.Word Pommel
162.Two Rings
163.Pendant in the Shape of a Dragon
164.Pendant in the Shape of a dragon
165.Thumb Ring
166.Two Rings with Plaited Cord Decoration
167.Slit Ring (jue)
168.Sword Pommel
169.Disc (bi)
170.Disc (bi)
171.Pendant in the Shape of a Dragon
172.Pendant in the Shape of a dragon
173.Pair of Pointed Pendants (xi)
174.Pair of Pointed Pendants (xi)
175.Pair of Arc-shaped Pendants (huang)
176.Pendant in the Shape of a Cicada
177.Tube
178.Disc (bi)
179.Belt Hook
180.Pair of Arc-shaped Ornaments
181.Pendant in the Shape of Two Dragons
182.Sword Fittings
183.Pendant in the Shape of a Dragon
184.Cup
185.Pair of Rings
186.Notched Ring
187.Ring
188.Pair of Arc-shaped Pendants (huang)
189.Pendant in the Shape of a Dragon
190.Pointed Pendant (xi)
191.Pendant in the Shape of a Dragon
192.Pendant in the Shape of a Tiger
193.Ornament
194.Finials
195.Two Tubes
196.Ring with Plaited Cord Decoration
197.Sword Fittings
198.Two Sword Guard
199.Two Sword Guards
200.Sword Fittings
201.Scabbard Slide
202.Comb Spine
203.Mandarin Duck and Globular Ornament
204.Hairpin Finial in the Shape of a Flying Dragon
205.Comb Spine
206.Hairpin Finial in the Shape of a Phoenix
207.Pendant in the Shape of a Butterfly
208.Ganoderma Ornament
209.Pendant
210.Ornament in the Shape of a Peony Blossom
211.Avalokitesvara
212.Fortune Boy
213.Coin and Turtle
214.Pair of Lions
215.Ring
216.Seal
217.Pair of Pendants in the Shape of Phoenixes
218.Unicorn
219.Cup in the Shape of a Lotus Leaf
220.Seal
221.Paperweight in the Shape of a Rabbit
222.Brush Support
223.Vase in the Shape of a Lotus Bud
224.Knob of Incense-burner
225.Seated Buddha
226.Seated Buddha
227.Seated Buddha
228.Ornament with Petal-like Edges
229.Pair of Ornaments in the Shape of Peaches
230.Leaf-shaped Ornaments
231.Pair of Hairpin Finials
232.Belt Hook
233.Gu-vessel Shaped Cup
234.Ornament in the Shape of a Peony Blossom
235.Ornaments
236.Ornament
237.Hairpin
238.Hairpin
239.Ornament in the Shape of a Lotus seedpod
240.Ornament in the Shape of a Toad