The profound and profound Chinese national culture, like a dazzling constellation, has shone for five thousand years.
The old saying goes: "When jade enters its country, it is the heavy weapon of the country, and when jade enters its home, it is a treasure that will be passed down from generation to generation!" ”。
It can be seen that Chinese's feelings for jade are up to the princes and nobles, down to the common people.
However, what kind of charm does ancient jade have that can become the most brilliant treasure in this long history?
Let's follow in the footsteps of Xiaobian and give you a reason to fall in love with ancient jade.
Han Dynasty dragon pattern jade pendant, Lion Mountain Han tomb excavated, Xuzhou Museum collection
About the origin of ancient jade
8,000 years ago, the beautiful jade ornaments of the Xinglongwa culture in the LiaoHe River Basin, Fangze Hundred Generations.
5,000 years ago, the Red Mountain culture, Liangzhu culture sacrificial jade, so that jade underwent a mysterious religious color.
3,000 years ago, the emperors and nobles of the pre-Qin and Han dynasties used jade to show their ranks, clear identities, highlight the personality, character and status of gentlemen, and even used jade to be martyred.
More than 1,000 years ago, the jade of the Tang and Song dynasties gradually receded from the mysterious aura and went to the city and was close to the people.
The Qianlong Emperor of the Qing Dynasty 300 years ago paid more attention to the material of jade, and developed the production process, decorative ornamentation and utensil modeling of jade to the extreme, which made future generations sigh.
The Palace Museum Spring and Autumn Dragon Pattern Jade Huang
The Palace Museum Spring and Autumn Dragon Pattern Jade Bi
Western Han Dynasty Dragon and Phoenix Milk Nail Jade Bi The tomb of the King of Nanyue in Guangzhou was excavated
Spring and Autumn Gou Yun Pattern Jade Huang In 1988, the tomb of Zhao Qing in Shanxi was excavated
Red Mountain Culture Jade Pig Dragon
What is "ancient jade"?
Strictly speaking, the jade before the Han Dynasty can be called "ancient jade", as the name suggests, the jade after it cannot be called, while prehistoric cultures, such as "Hongshan culture", "Longshan culture", "Xinglongwa period", these can be called "high ancient jade".
The Xinglongwa culture, located in Inner Mongolia and Northeast China, is the earliest known origin of jade in China.
At that time, jade was mostly made into tools and simple ornaments. But from the shape and aesthetics, it can be seen that it is very simple and original.
Unearthed original ornaments
Unearthed Yu Jue
Ancient jade became a faith
People really refer to jade as a belief in the Hongshan culture.
Hongshan culture refers to the agricultural culture that appeared in the Chifeng area of Inner Mongolia 5000-7000 years ago, and is one of the earliest cultural relics of Chinese civilization.
The remains of the Hongshan culture were first discovered in 1921, and in 1935, the site of Hongshan in the eastern suburbs of Chifeng (Inner Mongolia) was excavated, and the name of the Hongshan culture was proposed in 1956.
Red Mountain Culture Jade Dragon
Ancient jade form
Regarding the different forms of ancient jade, some scholars have summarized it like this:
Cultural period (refers to the Hongshan culture, Longshan culture, Liangzhu culture period) Chongqin (Qin refers to Qin color, as the saying goes: jade has five colors Qin, better than ten thousand two gold);
Shang Zhou heavy line (line refers to the carved line);
Warrior heavy (the type here refers to the appearance, and each type has a corresponding symbolic meaning);
Tang, Song and Yuan dynasties;
Ming and Qing dynasties heavy jade.
I think this passage is comprehensive and pertinent, and it is worth learning.
Liangzhu culture beast face trident vessel
The jade of the Ming and Qing dynasties is to pay attention to jade, similar to modern times, as long as it is jade, people will ask whether it is Hetian jade, white, oily, it is difficult not to love, but I personally still like high ancient jade.
Because in ancient times, beautiful stone is jade, at that time people did not have too many requirements for jade, mostly using local jade, that is, "beautiful stone", although jade did not have eye-catching characteristics, but the most attractive to me is the line.
At that time, the carving tools were very limited, that is, these simple tools, through some minimalist lines, created a piece of divine works, which was the worship of gods and totems at that time.
Hongshan Cultural Jade Owl, Shanghai Museum Collection
Those beauty that cannot be replicated
The form carved out of this minimalist line of the Hongshan culture plus the sense of age brought by the pulp of the jade itself cannot be copied and imitated in the later period or in modern times, although modern scientific and technological tools and processes are very developed, but the ancient charm cannot be copied.
The researcher in Shenyang once said that the culture and connotation of gaogu jade are very deep, and there are many unknown areas that have not yet been solved.
Comparatively speaking, if the study of Ming and Qing jade is the level of primary school students, then Gao Gu jade is the level of graduate students.
Western Wednesday Lian Huang Yu Group Pei Excavated from the Hengshui Cemetery in DaiXian County, Shanxi Province
Appreciate the Red Mountain cultural jade
Hongshan Culture Jade Horseshoe Shaped Ware (Jade Hair Crown)
Late Hongshan culture Yugou cloud-shaped pendant Height 14.2 cm, width 19.1 cm, maximum thickness 0.55 cm
Hongshan culture jade people
Hongshan culture jade people pei
Red Mountain Culture Jade Pig Dragon
Hongshan culture God-shaped jade pendant
Jade Dragon, Hongshan culture, height 26 cm
Many of them have many alien-like forms, collectively known as the "Sun God" in academic terms.
The C-type dragon is not unfamiliar to everyone, it is the LOGO of Huaxia Bank, which means that the civilization of Huaxia has been up and down for five thousand years.
The five-thousand-year civilization in China is broad and profound
The culture of ancient jade has a long history
In the long river of history of hundreds of millions of years
Pick up cultural gems