4. Han Dynasty low relief carving jade bi, D. 33.7cms, T. 0.8cm

The object is carved with green tone Hetian jade with the form of bi and similar low relief carvings on both sides. The bi is divided into two sections. The outer section is decorated with the hunting scene showing the knight fighting tiger and similar fierce animals. Four auspicious characters of 侯(marquis), 相(Prime minister), 陽(Sunshine), and 樂(Happiness) are decorated at the four corners. The inner section is decorated with the four spirits of the green dragon, white tiger, scarlet phoenix, and black turtle coupling snake. Between the outer and inner sections, the Ruyi cloud pattern is decorated. At the hole, a crawling dragon is decorated. The carving of the object is vivid and delicate. As far as antiquity is concerned, differential weathering, diffusive markings, and calcification are presented.  It is truly a marvelous Han bi worth collecting for professional collectors.

 

 

 

Catalog for WSM Chinese Antique Jades

Provenance

Jade bi’s orderly Inheritance

In Kaiping City, Guangdong Province, in the southern part of mainland China, there are 1833 “diaolou” buildings, a famous “world-class historical and cultural heritage” (approved by the United Nations Cultural and Educational Organization on June 28, 2007), and the “Qianlou” of the Woo family. (built in 1889) is one of the oldest buildings.

The story begins here:

 

Shortly after the “Woo An Building” was built. An antique business friend of Wei Bing, an honest and honest gold and silver jewelry maker, brought a dozen exquisite jade objects (including this bi) and asked for financing to realize them… So these objects took root in Woo An. These objects were relocated to Hong Kong with the Woo family around 1950

In 1965, the Woo family moved to 1634 Silver St. in Jacksonville, Florida.

Moved to Woo’s current home, 605 Appian Way, Jacksonville, FL, two years ago for maintenance reasons.

Introduction

Tracing back to the roots of China’s 5,000-year-old historical civilization, jade culture runs through the whole process, stretches endlessly, and occupies an extremely important chapter

In ancient times, due to the limitations of various conditions at that time, jade – this beautiful stone is extremely rare and rare

Anyone who finds or finds it will dedicate it to the honor of a country (king) – the emperor who Dare to keep and hide without authorization will be guilty of killing the head and exterminating the clan

There are also records in the history books about a piece of jade for fifteen cities  In ancient times, it was a  symbol and glory of imperial power, and  it was also the blessing and embodiment of the strength and hegemony of various princely states In the Han Dynasty, due to Zhang Qian’s envoy to the Western Regions and the opening of the Silk Road, a large amount of high-quality Hetian white jade and green jade in Xinjiang were continuously transported to the Central Plains Imperial Court, so the mining and processing of jade entered the heyday of history  Jade carving technology has also been rapidly developed before and after the air has long been lost  The variety of pattern forms and the rich variety of ornaments have pushed the Han Dynasty jade carving process to the peak of Chinese history

According to the ancient Chinese concept of the unity of heaven and earth and man, jade is the essence of the sun and moon in Sanchuan, a treasure gifted by heaven, and has the spirituality to communicate with the ghosts and gods of heaven and earth.

Yubi has a machine type of use:

One is a ceremonial vessel, used for ceremonies;

  1. Sacrificial vessels used to worship the heavens, gods, mountains, oceans, sand currents, stars, etc.;
  2. Wear as an identity sign;
  3. Gifts of ceremonial gifts from the Emperor’s relatives and relatives;

Five, funeral  look for

The Emperor of the Western Han Dynasty used one-third of his gross national product (GDP) to prepare for his post tombs, and most of the funerary items were jade

A good piece of jade requires a skilled jade worker to carve and polish it throughout his life, which shows its degree of fineness and difficulty

The use of jade bi is more strictly regulated and restricted  Moreover, due to the exclusivity and hegemony of the imperial power, many jade-controlling techniques of the Han Dynasty have long been lost, so the world can not be solved for thousands of years while watching the exquisite jade carving skills and ingenious conception of the Han Dynasty

conclusion

In China’s ancient jade culture, “jade has five virtues”  The Eastern Han Dynasty Xu Shen’s “Commentaries on the Interpretation of Texts” said: “Jade, the beauty of stone has five virtues.” Moisten with warmth, benevolent fang also; reason from the outside, can know the middle, the righteous side is also; its voice is comfortable, dedicated to the far hearing, the wisdom of the party also; not to bend and fold, the courageous side is also; sharp and honest but not shy, clean side also. Simply put, it is the five virtues of benevolence, righteousness, wisdom, courage, and purity  There are also folk sayings, “Jade seeks people with connections”, “Jade seeks people, virtue with jade”  That is, jade always looks for those who are virtuous and pure in heart.

Collecting ancient jade is a kind of luck, but also a kind of realm…

This jade bi collection has been passed down in an orderly manner for five generations by the Hu family from Weibing–Zhiqia–Hongye–Kuanli to the present Charles and Eliejah.

Today, the Hu family wishes that a reputable, historic, and prestigious international exhibition platform, will show the essence of ancient Chinese culture—Han bi to the world so that more people can appreciate the exquisiteness of its craftsmanship.

Appendix

西晋汲冢出土的《竹书纪年》:穆王十七年,王西征昆仑丘,见西王母。其年西王母来朝,宾于昭宫。The “Bamboo Book Chronicle” unearthed in Jizhong of the Western Jin Dynasty: In the seventeenth year of King Mu, the king conquered Kunlun Hill and saw the Queen Mother of the West. In that year, the Queen Mother of the West came to court, and she was a guest at Zhao Palace.

 

1.Han Dynasty twelve zodiac signs bi set, overall diameter: 66cms, thick 1.2cms, weight:8.8kgs

本器和田白玉雕琢, 形制為組璧, 單面雕琢. 中央為小型璧, 飾仙女騎龍淺浮雕, 仙女頭戴圭形冠, 手持寶瓶為十二生肖(鼠, 牛, 虎, 兔, 龍, 蛇, 馬, 羊, 猴, 雞, 狗, 豬)祈福. 中國的十二生肖起源,眾說紛紜。《史記》中黃帝「建造甲子以命歲」以及「大撓作甲子」中的「甲子」,就是指十二生肖。郭沫若在其著作《甲骨文字研究·釋支干》中主張十二生肖是漢代仿造巴比倫十二宮制定的。璧的四周飾十二片圭形鏤空雕琢玉片,  每一件玉片飾一生肖, 生肖背上或飾舞女, 或飾武士, 其組合如下: 鼠配舞女, 牛配舞女, 虎配舞女, 兔配舞女, 龍配武士, 蛇配舞女, 馬配舞女, 羊配舞女, 猴配武士, 雞配武士, 狗配舞女, 豬配武士. 本器雕琢不論是人物或動物, 均栩栩如生, 紋飾內的線條婉約細膩. 本器古玉跡象為差異風化, 增生晶體, 擴散暈沁色及鈣化等.This object is carved  on one side from Hetian white jade, in the form of a set of bi and gui. The center is a small bi, decorated with a low -relief carving of a fairy wearing gui shape crown, and holding a powerful artifact on hand to convey blessing to the twelve zodiac signs (rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon) , snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, pig) . Chinese zodiac signs (In “Historical Records”, the Yellow Emperor “builds Jiazi to make his life” and “Jiazi” in “Dashou Zuojiazi”  refers to the twelve zodiac signs. Guo Moruo argued in his book “Research on Oracle Bone Writing · Shi Zhigan” that the twelve zodiac signs were made in the Han Dynasty imitating the Babylonian zodiac. Each jade piece is decorated with a zodiac, and the  with a dancer or a warrior. The combination is as follows: Rat with dancer, Ox with dancer, Tiger with dancer, Rabbit with dancer, Dragon with warrior, Snake with dancer, Horse with dancer Dancing girl, goat with dancing girl, monkey with warrior, chicken with warrior, dog with dancing girl, pig with warrior. The carving of this vessel is vivid, whether it is characters or animals, and the lines in the decoration are graceful and delicate. The signs of ancient jade on this object are differential weathering, additive crystals, diffusive markings and calcifications, etc.