For Chinese jade, the jade dragon is a category with strong persistence and obvious changes with the times, and its basic characteristics are as follows.
Neolithic jade dragon
Lingjiatan ruins jade dragon
It is primitive, simple and abstract.
The body is wide and thick, and the section is elliptical.
There are perforations on the back.
Mostly use the shallow yin line to focus on the faucet and facial features.
Shang Dynasty Jade Dragon
Lady Good Tomb Jade Dragon
Breaking through the limitations of the cultural period, the shape and ornamentation are diversified.
Most are flaky, with a smaller body.
The dragon's head is angled, and the horns are cylindrical, acacia-shaped, and so on.
Pay attention to the depiction of the eye area, the early Shang is mostly square or diamond-shaped, and the middle and late period are mostly in the shape of "subject".
The dragon body is decorated with intricate decorative patterns, diamond patterns, triangle patterns and so on.
The ornamentation is mostly short lines, the lines are strong and powerful, and the turns are stiff.
Western Zhou Jade Dragon
Zhangjiapo ruins Yulong Mountain
Inheriting the Shang Dynasty jade dragon style, it is more stretched and smooth in composition and lines, and the corners of the jade dragon head, the "subject" glyph-shaped eyes, and the back have convex edges and other styles have The Shang Dynasty relics, but the difference is obvious.
The Western Zhou Jade Dragon was thinner and longer than the Shang Dynasty.
The lower lip of the dragon's mouth is rolled inward.
The dragon's tail is thick and bladeless.
The ornamentation is mostly long lines or long and short, with rounded turns and smooth lines.
Han Dynasty Jade Dragon
Triangle Wei Western Han Tomb Jade Dragon
The dragon's head is longer.
The dragon's beak is more open.
The corners of the mouth are almost the length of the entire head.
The eyebrows, forehead and palate are angular.
The dragon's horns roll upwards and backwards.
The dragon's body is still curled, more dynamic and imposing than the Zhou Dynasty, and the lines are gentle and smooth, focusing on the expression and momentum of the dragon, and its form visually gives people a sense of momentum and infinite power.
Tang Dynasty Jade Dragon
Tang Dynasty dragon-shaped jade pendant
Inheriting the basic shape and charm of the Jade Dragon of the Han Dynasty, it is more mature and perfect.
Focus on realism.
The body of the dragon resembles a snake.
The torso is thick and plump.
The limbs are longer.
Dragon horns begin to behave like antlers.
The dragon's claws are fat, mostly three-toed.
The dragon's tail is bare and often pressed under the hind legs.
Song Dynasty Jade Dragon
Beautiful shape and smooth lines.
The dragon's body is slender and free, changing the image of the previous crouching dragon and curly dragon, showing a take-off shape.
The horns are mostly single-forked staghorns with fluttering hair on the head.
Graceful posture, full of change, like to use waves, clouds, flowers and plants and other embellishments.
Ming Dynasty Jade Dragon
Ming Dynasty jade dragon pattern with plate
It lacked the charm of the Tang and Song Jade Dragons.
The dragon's head is exaggerated.
The eyes are more raised.
Ornaments such as clouded or flame patterns on the tail.
The dragon's claws are mostly four claws and five claws, which are windmill ball-shaped.
The overall shape of the jade dragon is too slender, looking rigid and rigid.