ARCHAIC AND IMPERIAL CHINA
BI DISC WITH DRAGONS IN JADE
BI DISC WITH DRAGONS IN JADE
HAN DYNASTY (206 BC - AD 220)
This piece once belonged to the collection of a French diplomat, posted in Beijing in the 80’s.
Object certified authentic and sold with an expert certificate. Satisfied or your money back.
Object :
Nº 1703/A
Material :
Jade
Type Object :
Funerary ritual, Jewelry and personal ornaments, Sculpture
Dimensions :
A - Diameter of disc: 13.5 cm (5.3”) B - Width of pendant: 13.5 cm (5.3”)
Bi disc with dragons in nephrite jade. Very fine condition. In China, the dragon is a symbol of the heavens and the representation of the bi disc. Bi are perforated jade discs, meant to represent the images of the reflection of the sky.
One can truly speak of the art of jade, the subtleness of the forms produced in Neolithic cultures as well as South-eastern Mongolia. This very hard stone is perfectly polished and cut following pure geometrical forms, portraying motifs that seem to be harmoniously arranged. Using methods of friction, abrasion and polishing could only do the polishing of this stone. The composite material of jade, which is extremely hard, was clearly chosen based on symbolic considerations that enhance the purity associated with its hardness, and many values in Chinese culture. Jade is attributed to the protection of the body by cultures that believe in the migration of the physical body from this life to that of our ancestors, or the realm of the immortals.
