Chinese jade has a long history, and in the development of jade culture for more than 8,000 years, countless brilliant human artistic treasures have been created.
These precious ancient jade objects reflect the profound heritage of traditional culture on the one hand, and the humanistic styles of different historical periods on the other hand.
Animal shapes have long been a traditional subject in ancient jade.
With only a pair of skillful hands and infinite wisdom, ancient jade craftsmen carved countless vivid and vivid animal images under the conditions of extremely backward productivity levels.
These traditional jade objects, full of humanistic feelings and artistic appeal, are not only outstanding representatives of ancient Chinese culture and art, but also a true portrayal of the outstanding achievements of Chinese civilization.
The ancients have always adhered to the creative concept of "jade must have work, work must be intentional, and meaning must be auspicious".
Therefore, animal-themed jade also contains a deeper allegorical connotation under the realistic artistic appearance.
Since the budding of the jade culture in the Neolithic period of primitive society, animal themes have frequently appeared in Chinese jade.
Later, during the Shang and Zhou dynasties, animal-shaped jade was even more emerging.
In the Song Dynasty, as Chinese jade fully entered the people, it has since acquired strong folk characteristics.
All kinds of popular and approachable animal-shaped jade are not only loved by the vast number of people, but also gradually endowed with richer cultural connotations.
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, with the vigorous development of Chinese jade, animal-shaped jade became more colorful, and the traditional jade culture born around these animal-themed jade objects was even more dazzling and rich.
Ancient jade animal themes are divided into two categories, namely mythical animal themes and realistic animal themes, and their meanings are summarized as follows:
1. Mythical animal themes
Dragon: The embodiment of auspicious rui in traditional culture, but also a symbol of feudal emperors, symbolizing authority and dignity. The dragon and the phoenix together symbolize the dragon and phoenix chengxiang; Together with the horse for the spirit of Ryoma.
Phoenix: The phoenix is the head of the birds, has always represented nobility and auspiciousness, symbolizing beauty and light, and is used as the representative of the highest female of the royal family, matching the dragon, and is a symbol of auspicious and festive.
Qilin: The unicorn has horns on its head, a lion face, a cow body, scales on its tail, and a fire under its feet, resembling a deer. Legend has it that the unicorn is a beast that only appears in the Taiping era, so it is also a metaphor for outstanding people. The unicorn sending son and the unicorn jade book all have the meaning of the birth of outstanding people.
Ward off evil spirits: Warding off evil spirits, also known as Pixiu, is a lion-shaped, horned, winged divine beast in ancient mythology, symbolizing "benevolence" and "rui" in traditional culture, and the ancients believed that it could attract wealth and bring good luck.
Warding off evil spirits is the customary term in northern China, while in southern China it is called Pixiu. At the same time, the ancients also subdivided this kind of Jirui beast according to the details, the hornless one on the head was called "Fuba" or "Taoba", one horned was called "Tianlu", and the two horns were called "warding off evil" or "Pixiu".
Eastern Han Dynasty Blue and white jade warded off evil spirits
Price realised: 2,142,000 HKD
Length 4.8 cm
Dragon: The legendary hornless dragon, also known as the Tiger. In ancient cultures, dragons represented martial arts, strength, power, and kingly style; Legend has it that the dragon is extremely fickle and can ward off evil spirits and avoid disasters, and the dragon in jade symbolizes majesty and auspiciousness.
Dragon turtle: also known as golden turtle, baxia, zhao butt. According to legend, it is one of the nine sons born of ancient dragons, which is a kind of turtle with a head and tail like a dragon, a tortoise-like body, a golden body, and a sacred turtle living in the sea.
Since "Dragon Turtle" is the same as "Rong Gui", the Dragon Turtle also represents "returning home and returning to the hometown".
The Palace Museum in Beijing houses a Qing Dynasty jade dragon turtle pack bottle
Arowana: Arowana, also known as anchovy, is an animal in ancient mythology, according to legend, in ancient times, carp wanted to jump over the dragon gate, fly into the clouds and ascend to the sky to become a dragon, but they stole the dragon balls in the sea and could only become the body of the dragon fish, called the anchovy.
In ancient China, the jinshi in the imperial examination had to meet the list at the steps of the palace, and according to the regulations, the first champion had to stand at the head of the examination, so people called the champion in the examination "the head of the head".
The Palace Museum in Beijing houses the Ming Dynasty jade fish flower arrangement
Second, realistic animal themes
Insect Class:
Spider: homophonic "contentment", which means contentment and long-term happiness, joy descends from the sky.
Beetle: means "rich in armor".
Gecko: The homonym "bifu", which means happiness.
Cicada: Because the cicada song is very loud, the jade cicada has the meaning of "blockbuster", and at the same time, the cicada is called to know, the meaning is known, read and listen, and improve in homework. The cicada hangs on its chest and is a blockbuster. The cicada hangs around the waist, and the waist is wrapped in thousands of dollars.
Bee: It means hard work and sweet life.
Butterfly: Meaning love.
Snail: "twisted" in harmony, is meant to twist things, because it walks on its back, and is also meant to "live and work in peace".
Aquariums:
Crab: Because of the eight-legged rampant, it often symbolizes windfall wealth, and wealth from all directions.
Shrimp: Traditionally meaning "bending and smooth", it represents vitality and rising every day.
Goldfish: Meaning full of gold and jade. Indicates wealth, auspicious and lucky.
White jade carving, golden jade full hall, Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty
Carp: meaning "surplus", the combination of carp and lotus symbolizes "more than one year"; The carp jumping dragon gate means to walk smoothly and soar.
Catfish: Meaning "more than every year".
The National Museum has a white jade ring from the Song Dynasty
Turtle: Also known as the peace turtle or longevity turtle. Because turtles in nature have a very long lifespan, turtles are regarded as a magical animal, which means health and longevity, and common themes include "turtles and cranes prolong life".
Frog: It means croaking wealth, and because the frog lays a large number of eggs, it also symbolizes many children and blessings.
Toad: The homonym of toad and money, common toad with copper money in the mouth, meaning rich and rich. Toads bite money, money rolls money.
Qingqianlong white jade gold toad plays Hepei
Qianlong White Jade Gold Toad Play Hepei (reverse)
Birds:
Crane: The crane is known as a pint bird, and it also means a pint of dynasty or a high ascension. Together with the pine tree, it symbolizes the prolongation of the pine crane. With deer and sycamores, it means that the crane deer is in spring.
Swan: Symbolizes purity, loyalty, and nobility.
Goose: Because the top of the goose is red-headed, it means "good luck".
Qingbai Jade Goose Qianlong Qing
Quail: Quail is homonymous with "an", so quail means "peace and happiness" or "living in peace".
White jade quail Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty
Chicken: Because chicken and auspicious are homophonic, it means good luck and good luck. Brocade chicken means splendid future; Five chicks symbolizes five sons of Denko.
Magpie: means joy, two magpies represent double happiness, if magpie and badger together it means joy, if magpie and leopard together it means annunciation, if magpie and lotus together it means joy.
Bat: Bat homonym "Fu", which means blessed, happy or blessed by heavenly officials, and blessed stars. The combination of bats and shou peach together symbolizes five blessings and five blessings; If it is with copper money, it means that blessing is in front of you.
Eagle: Meaning "wise", combined with the bear to symbolize "hero".
Beijing Palace Museum Ming Dynasty green jade "hero" combined cup
Heron: Gorgeous plumage, male and female inseparable, ancient name "bird", symbolizing husband and wife love, never separated. At the same time, it also means a safe journey, and being with a lotus means a road to Lianke.
Mandarin duck: The picture is usually composed of mandarin ducks, lotus flowers, and lotus leaves, indicating that husband and wife get along well, love each other, and grow old together.
Gray Jade Mandarin Duck Yuan Dynasty
Parrot: It is the longest-lived bird among the birds, also called Yingming Shenwu.
Dove: In traditional culture, "dove" is considered to be a "bird that does not choke", and the old people are easy to choke when eating due to their old age and age, so they use dove birds as ornaments to mean "the old man does not choke".
The ancient saying "Dove Xichun" means to wish the elderly good health and a long life.
The National Palace Museum in Taipei houses the head of the Qianlong white jade dove in the Qing Dynasty
Beasts:
Tiger: The king of beasts, symbolizing majesty, courage, and symbolizing the vitality of the tiger and tiger.
Lion: Indicates bravery, two lions mean good luck. A big and a small lion is also known as "Taishi Shaoshi", which means Taishi Taibao, symbolizing high power.
Bear: In traditional Chinese culture, the bear symbolizes majesty and majesty, and together with the eagle symbolizes heroic fighting spirit, sometimes it also refers to both fish and bear.
Fox: Meaning ingenuity.
Deer: The homonym "Lu" means that Fulu is always present. If the deer is with the official, it means that the official is reblessed.
Elephant: means auspicious or happy elephant. If the elephant is with the bottle, it means that there is peace; Together with Ruyi, it is called auspicious Ruyi.
Pig: In traditional culture, the pig represents wealth and blessing, while the jade pig symbolizes wealth and good luck.
Mouse: The rat homonym "number", which means to make money and count money. At the same time, in the traditional zodiac culture, "rat" is also called "sub-mouse", so the rats and mushrooms in jade are borrowed as "gentlemen's friends".
Horse: It means that the horse is successful and imaginary, and if it is with a monkey, it is also called "Marquis Ma" or "Marquis Ma".
Dog: It means faithful protection of the Lord, prosperity and business.
The Palace Museum in Beijing houses the Song Dynasty green jade dog
Ox: It means loyalty and diligence, turning things around, and the cow is vigorous
Sheep: The meaning of proudness, the three sheep symbolizes the opening of the three suns, the omen of good luck.
Badger: Meaning "joy". At the same time, it is said that badgers are the most faithful creatures to their mates in the animal kingdom, and if one party is separated or dies, the other will only wait for each other for the rest of his life, and will never empathize with each other, so there is a saying in the mainland that carved double badgers as a thing for husband and wife. "Shuanghuan" carves two badgers connected end-to-end.
Monkey: Monkey homonym "hou", in ancient times symbolized "prince", meaning to promote officials to become rich, and with the horse means to be a marquis immediately. Together with the seal, it means to seal the marquis, and the big monkey back and the little monkey symbolize the marquis for generations.