The patriarchal ritual system of the Shang Dynasty was very complete, and jade had become a treasure monopolized by the emperor, with a wide variety of utensils, in addition to religious artifacts, but also tools, daily necessities, ornaments and decorative jade.
Capital Museum Shang Dynasty Yuqi
These varieties are the most precious of ceremonial vessels and round carved figures, such as jade zhang, jade qun, jade bi, etc., and especially the character carving is the highest. Round carved animals and containers, second only to human jade carvings, are also very collectible.
Tianjin Museum Shang Dynasty tiger-shaped jade pendant
Because the character and animal circle carving process is difficult, and it has realistic artistic characteristics, it can reflect some social features at that time, so it has high artistic value, economic value and scientific value.
Tianjin Museum Shang Dynasty dragon head shape jade
Other jades in the Shang Dynasty have more varieties of tools and weapons, and there are also high and low fine and coarse points in gong and art, and the production of ceremonial tools or weapons is more delicate, and the type of instruments is also more beautiful, so this kind of jade is also worth collecting.
Tianjin Museum Shang Dynasty dragon pattern jade ornament
Jade made in the Shang Dynasty of China. According to the analysis of the excavations, it can be divided into two stages: early and late.
The early period of the Shang Dynasty (c. 17th century BC – c. 11th century BC) is represented by excavations from the site and tombs of Yanshi Erlitou in Henan, including Yu Gui, Yu Chun, Yu Huang, Jade Dao, Yu Ge, Yu Zhang, Yu Qi, Jade Shovel, and Animal Face Handle Shaped Ware. Yu Gui, Yu Zhang, and Yu Ge are all newly appeared instruments at this time, and the body of the instrument is extremely thin, which should be a ceremonial instrument.
Tianjin Museum Shang Dynasty bull head shaped jade ornament
The remains of the early and late Shang Dynasty are represented by the Erligang site in Zhengzhou. At the same time, In the same period, Minggong Road, Baijiazhuang and People's Park in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, Panlongcheng, Huangpi, Hubei Province, Taixi Gaocheng, Hebei Province, Liujiahe in Pinggu, Beijing and other Shang Dynasty sites and tombs unearthed Yuzhang, Yuge, Yuhuang, Jade Handle Shaped Ware and small ornaments. The 93-centimeter-long jade ge excavated from Huangpi Panlong City is the longest known piece. At this time, the jade did not produce major changes in the process, but some of the utensils were larger in shape and more refined in the yin line ornamentation.
Tianjin Museum Shang Dynasty pictographic jade pendant
In the late Shang Dynasty, after the migration of Pan Geng to Yin (14th century BC – 11th century BC). All 11 large tombs in the Wangling district of Yin Xu (present-day Anyang, Henan Province) were stolen, and very few jade artifacts survived from the robbery, including a small number of items such as jade ge, jade qi, jade knives, owl-shaped jade pendants, and buffalo-shaped jade pendants.
Xinxiang City Museum Shang Dynasty tiger-shaped jade pendant
The early Shang Dynasty jade is represented by straight yin lines and thin flakes of yibing jade; the late Shang Dynasty jade art has symbolic and decorative characteristics, such as some three-dimensional figures, animals and birds jade carvings, mainly highlighting the characteristics of their heads and teeth and other organs, omitting trivial details, all of which are symbolically outlined, and important details are applied with rounded and gentle yang lines, showing a strong decorative interest.
Xinxiang City Museum Shang Dynasty Dragon Head Jade
This highly unified artistic technique of symbolism and decoration was the mainstream of jade carving in the late Shang Dynasty. There is also a simplified type of jade, such as jade fish and jade knife, both of which tend to have jade craftsmanship originated from ancient times and developed, thus laying the foundation for the progress of Western Zhou jade.
National Museum of China late Shang Dynasty feather crown humanoid jade ornament
Baoji Bronze Ware Museum Shang Dynasty Jade Knife
The Palace Museum Shang Dynasty dragon-shaped jade
The Palace Museum Shang Dynasty dragon-shaped jade pendant
The Palace Museum Shang Dynasty's first jade ornament
The Palace Museum merchants made of humanoid jade ornaments
The Palace Museum Shang Dynasty animal face pattern jade
Hebei Provincial Folk Customs Museum Shang Dynasty petal pattern jade handle shaped vessel
Hebei Provincial Folk Customs Museum Shang Dynasty jade handle shaped ware
Capital Museum Shang Dynasty string-shaped jade
The Palace Museum Shang Dynasty animal face pattern jade qi
The Palace Museum Shang Dynasty copper handle jade ge
Henan Museum Shang Dynasty Yu yu
Lushun Museum Shang Dynasty copper handle jade axe
Lushun Museum Shang Dynasty Yuge
Lushun Museum Shang Dynasty Yuqi
Capital Museum Shang Dynasty Yuge
Capital Museum Shang Dynasty Jade Jade
Wuhan Museum Shang Dynasty Jade Axe
The Palace Museum Shang Dynasty Yuzhang
Hubei Provincial Museum Shang Dynasty Yu Huang
Kaifeng City Museum Shang Dynasty Jade Tooth Bi
Shaanxi History Museum Shang Dynasty Yuge
National Palace Museum, Taipei Shang Dynasty Yuya Bi
The Shang Dynasty string pattern of the Tianjin Museum has a collar jade bi
Tianjin Museum Shang Dynasty linear pattern jade gui
The Wuhan Museum shang dynasty has a lingyubi
Xinxiang City Museum Shang Dynasty Dragon Pattern Jade Huang