If I say that China is the country of jade, I believe that no one will object, China has a history of five thousand years, if you start from the Xinglongwa culture unearthed from the jade, then China has at least experienced more than 7,000 years of history in the history of jade making, although Central America and New Zealand are also famous for jade in the world, but the history is not as long as China, China is rich in land, abundant resources, exquisite craftsmanship.
Ancient Chinese culture has a strong heritage, and jade culture is a feature that distinguishes it from other ancient cultures. In the hearts of ancient people, jade is also the essence of heaven and earth, with supreme divine light and mysterious color, giving it an auspicious identity, and can also help people drive away evil spirits.
Ancient burials also use jade, which is also a good blessing from relatives to the undead, so that jade can bless the undead and make the bones immortal. Although we cannot understand or believe in this non-scientific operation now, there are already allusions to the "Zhou Li Chunguan Zongbo Dianrui" and "Shuowen Jiezi" that record the jade in the mouth of the deceased, and this funerary custom can be traced back to the ancient Neolithic Age, and slowly developed into the ancient civilization era, although there are differences, but it is also the adjustment of some era characteristics.
Archaeologists actually found that most of the jade found in the tombs of the Han Dynasty are jade cicadas, which look like cicadas. For example, Henan Luoyang this week tomb found a cicada-shaped jade with holes, in Shanxi Gaoyang Western Han Tomb, Dingxian Beizhuang Eastern Han Tomb, etc. there are cicada-shaped jade excavations, the reason why the jade is made into a cicada shape is also exquisite, in order to take the meaning of the cicada high purity, and the American expert Lovell is a researcher of ancient jade, he wrote in his own book mentioned that the cicada from larva to the soil into the kidney, the process of unearthing and changing cicadas is also the process of new life transformation, representing the beautiful meaning of resurrection.
This jade cicada is very rounded in shape, the shape of the cicada and the tongue is similar, this jade cicada is also shaped like a tongue, and the smooth jade surface is carved with exquisite and realistic cicada eyes, wings and other fine features, interpreting its own charm and charm. Cicada-shaped jade in addition to jade there is another kind of jade cicada, also known as jade cicada, is the jade worn by living people, this jade pendant than the burial of jade is lighter and more transparent and shiny, carving is more exquisite and beautiful, the type of pattern is also more diverse, but because the status of cicada jade in the Han Dynasty is very high, so in the Han Dynasty, no matter what kind of jade cicada, knife work and lines are both exquisite and varied.
Because the pendant is also used for ornamentation, it will reserve eyes on the top of the jade pendant for easy hanging and wearing. Wearing cicada jade is also to ward off evil spirits, in addition to wearing the chest meaning of a blockbuster, some people will wear on the belt also has a waist (cicada) thousand harmonic meaning, but also people pray for their own blessings and look forward to bringing good luck and other beautiful visions.
Liu Yan is Liu Xiu's son, the jade unearthed in his tomb is one of the most exquisite items in all the jade cicadas, the texture is as white as snow, crystal clear, this texture is really good to the national rare, round and flexible jade body, rigid and soft temperament makes people can't take their eyes off it at a glance, smooth and light is the biggest feature of this jade cicada, the jade cicada is lifelike, the wings are spread, as if the next second can flutter and fly high.
This Han Dynasty jade cicada is an exhibit of Linyi City Museum, the length is 6.1 cm is relatively moderate, the width is 3 cm, the thickness of 0.4 cm is very thin, the total weight is 16.3 grams, relatively light.
The color of this jade cicada is bluish white, the overall flat, the eyes of the cicada pupa are raised outwards, the clear ridge line is presented on the back, two large wings cover the whole body, the wings are pointed at the end, protruding from the body, and the end end is obviously different from some rounded jade cicadas, because this is only pointed, and the head, neck and wings are presented by a straight, curved and yin line carving. The other side of the jade cicada is the overall outline of the straight and arc yin carved line.
This work is carved with yin lines, with smooth lines such as hook lines, neat knife technique, neat shape, and the carving pattern of the front and back is also a fine embodiment of the craftsmanship, and the soul and holyness of the cicada are perfectly displayed with minimalist craftsmanship.
The Han chinese like to use jade to bury corpses, but also because they believe that jade has the special ability to communicate with the gods of heaven and earth. In ancient times, jade was considered to be a psychic treasure jade, a sacred object that communicated with people and gods, so it was widely used in various sacrificial activities. The deceased can ascend the soul to heaven by taking the jade cicada, and the jade cicada plays a mediating role in the process of rebirth and immortalization of life. This is the expectation of the ancients for jade, and it is also an ancient culture.
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