Ten thousand years of China, a jade can be seen.
The "Jade Soul - Ancient Chinese Jade Culture Exhibition", which is being exhibited at the Changsha Museum, is a blockbuster new exhibition launched to celebrate the 6th anniversary of the new museum, and it is also an original exhibition with jade as the theme launched by the Changsha Museum again after the "Jade Out of the Mountains and Rivers" in 2019.
As warm as jade, this exhibition does not have enough gimmicks to cause the national treasure heavyware, nor the famous world-famous discovery, 410 pieces (sets) of exhibits from 8 cultural institutions across the country, are small in size but exquisite and complex, the Chinese jade culture is told, from the ancient ancestors to discover jade, the use of jade began to trace, leading the audience to walk the long river of history, stretching for 9,000 years.
Most of the exhibits are on public display for the first time. As the curator Professor Yu Yanjiao said, the whole exhibition is a general history of jade.
The exhibition opens with two neolithic jade objects.
Located on the right, the jade plaque of the fangs deity, the exaggerated expression of the gods and men, and the giant fangs of the gods, are the images of the "gods and ancestors" in the minds of the ancestors. This plaque not only reflects the exquisite level of jade production technology at that time, but also depicts the pattern of the spiritual world of the ancestors to the world. The idol is inlaid on a long pole to summon the gods.
Located on the left, the jade qi is overall jade axe-shaped, and there are "door edges" on both sides of the top, which is the earliest jade with "door edges" found in the current age. As a kind of jade ceremonial vessel, the jade qi is a symbol of status and power, and it is also a holy relic that worships the gods of heaven and earth. And this jade qi is also a symbol of the identity and status of the owner and his military leader.
Stepping into the exhibition hall, I turned the first page of jade culture history.
The unit "Using Jade to Do God" shows the origin of Neolithic jade, from ornaments and production tools to the process of communicating gods and spirits. In the early Neolithic period, there were ancestors who made great progress in the process of making tools, and began to consciously choose beautiful stones for processing, and the early jade forms were both practical and beautiful; in the late stages, jade gradually became the status symbol of tribal leaders and clergy, and in addition to natural attributes, it was endowed with religious mysterious concepts, and "witches and jade gods" became the main features of jade used in this period.
These 5 stone beads were excavated from Pengtou Mountain M37 and placed in the center of the pelvis, which is the earliest known beading tube string in Hunan. Pengtou Mountain culture dates back to 9000-7900 years ago, such stone beads and pipe charms have been excavated in the Pengtou Mountain site 56 pieces, 162 pieces excavated at the Bashiyuan site, the appearance is black and bright, all are nearly cylindrical, both ends of the drill hole.
This turquoise bi also belongs to the Pengtou Mountain culture. Although the light is wrinkle-free, it still emits a soft and elegant luster. This is an earlier turquoise product unearthed in the southern region, as a precursor to jade ornaments, reflecting that the initial driving force of the differentiation of jade and stone tools stems from the ancient people's realistic pursuit of beauty and practicality.
The exhibition also features a group of neolithic tools made of Nanyang Dushan jade, including jade ploughs, jade chisels, jade axes, jade hammers and other types. These are the tools used by the ancients in production and life, and they are the initial stages of jade development, showing a primitive and simple beauty.
This jade spatula is blue-white tremolite jade, delicate and transparent, beautiful in shape, and thin overall. Although it is in the shape of a jade shovel, its practicality is not as good as before, and it is replaced by appreciation and aesthetic attributes, becoming a symbol of status and status and a god representing authority.
This jade frog represents the Neolithic Xiaojia roof culture (2100 BC - 1700 BC). Because of its exuberant reproductive ability, frogs have many children and are worshipped by ancient ancestors as the god of fertility, which is a symbol of endless reproduction. As a unique spiritual belief, the jade frog contains the beautiful wishes of the ancestors for a stable life and reproduction.
The "Jade Ceremony" section presents that the ceremonial jade system was gradually perfected in the prehistoric, Xia Shang and Western Three stages, and by the time of the Western Zhou Dynasty, it was very complete and hierarchical. During this period, the types and quantities of jade were greatly increased, the ceremonial characteristics of weapons and tools were very obvious, jade ceremonial instruments were unprecedentedly prosperous, and ritual instruments, ceremonial instruments, and funeral ceremonial instruments were complete.
With the establishment of the Xia Shang dynasty, the rise of the royal power, the decline of the divine power, and the jade also moved from the divine jade to the imperial jade stage. During the Western Zhou Dynasty, jade was included in the category of etiquette and given a higher meaning. There are various types of jade, including hair ornaments, ear ornaments, necklaces, wrist ornaments, arm ornaments, chest ornaments, etc., of which the jade group pei has been serialized and universally developed, becoming a valuable jewelry that highlights the identity of the aristocratic class.
This dragon-shaped jade pendant is one of a set of 8 pieces (13 pieces) excavated from the M5 of Xia Xiangpu Village. This group of jade artifacts was excavated from the tomb of the late Western Zhou Dynasty noblewoman Ehou Hou "Ejiang", which is rich in variety and exquisitely made. Among them, the jade can be used as ear ornaments, and the phoenix-shaped jade ornament can be used as a pendant alone, or it can be a component of the group of jade pendants; the jade juan, the dragon-shaped jade pendant, and the bundle of silk-shaped jade pendants can be combined with curved ornaments and semi-circular ornaments, and the agate bead tubes are jointly woven into exquisite jade necklaces, which become the gorgeous ornaments of The Lady of Ehou to highlight the status and honor of the lady of the monarch.
The exhibition also exhibits a group of 8 sets of animal-shaped pendants from the Luoyang Museum, with shapes such as jade owls, jade birds, and jade fish. During the Western Zhou Dynasty, jade was widely used as a pendant, both jade group pendants and more single pendants and charms. This kind of single match composed of owls, birds, phoenixes, dragons, tigers, cicadas, eagles, deer, bears, etc. is composed of animal shapes, mostly borrowing things to metaphors for people, and attaching themselves to people with animal character ratios.
In the third unit, "With Jade Bede", Jade Virtue is strengthened step by step. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, jade was personified by Confucian scholars and given a moral connotation; in the Han Dynasty, jade flourished with the Silk Road, and "jade virtue" was further condensed, and the complete connotation became the theoretical basis for the Han Dynasty's precious jade thought. The gentleman of the ancients will wear jade.
The jade group pendant on display, excavated in 1985 in Xinzhou M1, Lixian County, is mainly composed of jade pipes, jade rings, dragon-shaped jade pendants, jade huang and dragonfly eye glass beads, and multiple groups are used symmetrically. This set of accessories is exquisite in craftsmanship and vivid in shape, which is the superb jade craftsmanship of this period and the social trend of advocating jade and Shangde. During the Warring States period, jade pendants were prevalent, especially jade group pendants. The higher the social status, the more elaborate and complex the group pendants worn.
Jade sword
In the Han Dynasty, jade was precious, and the royal family and nobles wore jade in front of them, and after death, they were also buried with a large number of jade objects, creating a complete variety of burial jade such as jade clothes, jade han, and jade grips. At the same time, the han dynasty life jade and decorative jade also further developed, especially the jade sword reached its peak. This set of jade sword ornaments is the only complete set of jade swords currently found in Hunan, consisting of a cloud-patterned jade sword head, a dragon pattern sword, a dragon pattern sword grid, and a dragon pattern sword. The jade sword, with the gentleness of the beautiful jade, converges the sharp edge of the sword, is a symbol of the noble status of the Han Dynasty nobles, and the embodiment of the gentleman-like grace and nobility.
In the Han Dynasty, there were many kinds of jade bead pipe ornaments and rich textures. Thanks to the unification of the Han Dynasty and the opening of the Maritime Silk Road, a large number of strange stones and beads from outside the region entered the Central Plains. This set of beads includes patterned agate beads, amber beads and crystal beads, which are typical foreign imports and are witnesses to Sino-foreign trade exchanges.
The Wei and Jin Dynasties period was a transitional period of Chinese jade from mystification to life. At this time, the jade has gradually approached life and entered the homes of ordinary people. Some small animal-shaped jade carvings are commonly found in tombs during the Southern and Northern Dynasties of the Two Han Dynasties, Wei and Jin Dynasties, often using amber and charcoal essence as raw materials. Although these small beasts are small, they are quite meticulously carved, and are tied to the neck or wrist together with beads and pipe ornaments made of other materials in order to ward off evil spirits and eliminate disasters.
Floral jade comb back, Song, length 9.1 cm, width 3.4 cm, thickness 0.2 cm
Collection of The Three Gorges Museum of China, Chongqing
In the "Nourishing Nature with Jade" unit, jade, as a former temple spiritual object and symbol of royal power, has completely gone to the world.
With the advent of the Tang Dynasty, jade was freed from the constraints of etiquette and was extremely interesting in shape and ornamentation. Influenced by foreign cultures, the Jade Ornaments of the Tang Dynasty can be seen in the image of hu people full of exotic styles, baoxiang flowers, etc.; the Song Dynasty Zungu thought trend is popular, and the jade is mostly decorated with secular flowers, birds, grasses and trees as the decorative theme, and the techniques are relatively simple and concise. Although it is not too carved, it has captured the love of the world with its elegant mood.
Chunshui jade and Qiushan jade have their own characteristics
Liao, Jin, Yuan is a regime created by nomads, jade in the material, carving and ornamentation has a strong national characteristics, Chunshui jade and Qiushan jade enjoy a high reputation: Chunshui jade ornaments are basically Haidongqing hunting swans or geese, supplemented by reeds, water plants and lotuses, etc., Qiushan jade is based on tigers, bears, deer in the mountain forest as the theme, and has mountain stones, Ganoderma lucidum and other auxiliary patterns.
In the Ming and Qing dynasties, with the love of emperors, the admiration of literati, the prosperity of the production and marketing market, the smooth flow of jade, and the emergence of famous craftsmen, jade became from the emperor to the commoners to wear, life practical, play furnishings, and ubiquitous treasures and elegant things. This process has also witnessed the rapid development of jade craftsmanship.
The jade cup was a common daily utensil in the Ming and Qing dynasties. The outside of the Ming Dynasty jade cup is often decorated with milk ding pattern, which has a strong antique meaning. The Qing Dynasty jade cup is more refined than the Ming Dynasty, the carving is more meticulous, and the shape is more abundant.
Influenced by literati paintings, Ming Dynasty jade began to appear poetry, painting, printing and other pictorial patterns, represented by the "Zigang" brand, exquisite craftsmanship, and sought after. The ornaments used by the princes and nobles were often inlaid with various types of gemstones, which were dazzling. In the late Ming Dynasty, two major jade-making centers in Beijing and Suzhou were formed.
Ganoderma lucidum-style jade ruyi
The Qing Dynasty is the stage of jade development, jade is diverse, fine carving, rich ornamentation, different shapes, the emergence of a number of exquisite craftsmanship of jade, especially in the Qianlong period, its jade is good, the beauty of the shape, the essence of the craft has reached the peak of the realm.
Silver inlaid with agate lid chrysanthemum petal pattern jasper holding pot
This exquisite silver-lid jasper pot is an imitation Islamic style jade made during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty. This pot is carved from a whole piece of jasper, and the whole body is carved with 24 petals of chrysanthemum pattern, which is smooth and natural, and the depiction is even. The lid is made of silver and inlaid with red onyx and jasper rings. Islamic jade is characterized by a thin carcass, inlay craftsmanship, bright color matching and floral ornamentation, and due to the qianlong emperor's love, a large number of imitation Islamic style jades that integrate Chinese and Western cultures have emerged.
At the same time, the jade themes that have been initiated since the Han Dynasty have reached their peak in the Qing Dynasty: elephants and bottles indicate that there are elephants in Taiping, horses and monkeys symbolize the immediate title of marquis, fish and lotus flowers symbolize more than one year, and two badgers harmonize "double joy"... All of this is people's yearning for a better life, and at this point, jade has completely entered the secular folk from the temple platform.
As mentioned above, although the number of cultural relics in this exhibition is large, most of them are small artifacts. In order to show the warm and moist characteristics of jade, the curatorial team has carried out a lot of careful design, which is worth carefully observing and tasting.
The exhibition is free and will run until April 5, 2022.