公元前770年，西周滅亡，平王東遷，開啟了一個新的歷史時期－東周。東周分春秋，戰國兩個階段。春秋共計有294年的歷史，這一時期是社會經濟急劇變化，禮崩樂壞，政治局面錯綜複雜，軍事鬥爭層出不窮，而學術上又是百家爭鳴，文化異彩紛呈的一個變革時期。春秋時期是我國鐵器的發展階段，鐵制砣具逐漸替代了青銅砣具，這一重大的技術革新使得春秋的玉雕工藝上了一個新的台階。春秋玉器在技法上繼承了西周的雙勾陰線刻和斜刀，但相比西周有了明顯的變化，雙勾陰線更加繁複，更加密集；斜刀線條則變得更寬，更具動感。此時的浮雕、鏤雕技藝，則更加精湛，使得玉器更富立體效果，別具一格。新創谷紋 玉器中最早的谷紋，見於春秋晚期，是穀物種子顆粒的象形。穀粒的造型及布局特點是淺浮雕，穀粒圓鼓，體形較大，手感圓鈍，穀粒後端較尖細，常加細彎陰線，排列較稀疏，且不太規則。這一時期的玉器，不少優美器型，線條運用更臻嫻熟，紋飾刀工幹練遒勁，風格繁複奢華, 造型上有商周青銅器遺韻, 例如本文所列之玉蟾蜍及玉鼠, 其方形耳朵造型即與商周青銅鼎之方形立耳相似。

The Spring-Autumn & Warring States Periods are also called Eastern Zhou Dynasty. The carving style of the jade artifacts for the Spring-Autumn period (770 BCE – 403 BCE) is derived from the late Western Zhou dynasty and has been developed into a style with more detailed motifs and lining. The bosom auspicious cloud is the typical motif of this period. Tiger plaque with curling body is the typical jade of this period. In addition, jade mouse and jade toad decorated with bosom auspicious clouds are popular. The jade toad and jade mouse depicted here both have the square shape ears which are similar to the square ears handles of the bronze wares of the Shang Dynasty and Western Zhou Dynasty.

Proverb: Saving is getting( English ).

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