Neolithic Hongshan Culture Hetian Jade Square Bi Disc with Rounded Corners (7500–2900 BCE)

拍品描述

Dimensions: Length 22 cm (8.7 in, 0.72 ft), Width 19.5 cm (7.7 in, 0.64 ft), Weight 881 g; Neolithic Period (7500–2900 BCE)Condition and Provenance: Good overall condition with a complete structure, smoothly polished edges, and naturally developed surface patination. The jade displays extensive natural calcification, gray-white and brownish earth staining, along with areas of mineral alteration from long burial. The central aperture retains traces of ancient tubular drilling and polishing techniques. From a private collection in New York, USA.Description: This piece is a classic ritual jade square bi from the Hongshan culture, featuring a distinctive square outer form with a circular central opening. The four corners are smoothly rounded rather than sharply angled, creating a powerful yet refined prehistoric silhouette. The central circular aperture is carefully drilled, with an even body thickness and smoothly finished edges. Both surfaces remain undecorated, emphasizing the simple and monumental aesthetic valued in early Chinese ritual jade. The jade material is a local nephrite, originally showing a greenish tone, and has developed extensive gray-white and yellow-brown surface alteration through thousands of years of burial. Areas of earth staining and brown mineral deposits naturally penetrate the surface, creating a weathered and ancient appearance. The central opening preserves clear evidence of rotary tubular drilling, with fine and orderly tool marks along the interior wall. The edges were repeatedly polished, resulting in smooth contours and a mature ancient finishing technique. As an important ritual jade type of the Hongshan culture, the square bi represents the ancient cosmological concept of “round heaven and square earth,” with the circular opening symbolizing the heavens and the square form representing the earth. Used in ceremonial practices and communication with the spiritual realm, this type of jade represents one of the earliest expressions of Chinese ritual tradition. With its standardized form, natural burial alteration, and preserved ancient craftsmanship, this Hongshan jade square bi represents a rare museum-quality example of prehistoric Chinese ritual jade.

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