Ancient Jade Museum

History of China's Jade


Liang Chu Culture burial site unearthed in Kansu Province. Jade artefacts found were mainly, Tsung-tubes, big disc, pendants and other ornaments.	Liang Chu Culture Tsung Tubes

Six Tablets of Rank (Liu-Jui) and Six Sacrificial Utensils (Liu Chi)

The most important jade artefacts in early Chinese rituals and ceremony were the Six Tablets of Rank (Liu-Jui) and Six Sacrificial Utensils (Liu Chi).

Six Tables of Rank were used as insignia of rank among the noble hierarchy for official palace ceremonial functions.

While the Six Sacrificial Utensils were used for various sacrifices to the deities of Heaven, Earth and the Four Cardinal Directions. This category of jade is also known as Jade Ritual Objects.

Jade Tallies

Jade tallies is one of the important function of jade in early China. It was called Fu-Chieh (Tallies), these were used as a royal instrument when the emperor sent his envoy on official duties .

Jade Discs & Rings

This category of jade, classified into " Pi", "Huan", "Yuan" and "Chueh" are all variations on the form of a round, flat disc, with a hole in the centre. The only difference to identify them, is proportions of the centre holes.

Jade Personal Ornament

The shapes and dimensions of ritual objects and tallies were standardised and regulated by royal palace with official decrees. Personal Ornaments provided an unlimited outlet for the craftsmen to make it. Many of these jade artefacts were found in late Palaeolithic and Neolithic sites. These tooth-ornaments were the precursors of the jade hsi, le, yuan-le, fang-le, chi, hairpins etc.

Inset Jade Ornaments

Inset Jade Ornament (in Chinese term) hsing-chen yu-chi refers to the attachment of jade to the surfaces of other articles by various processes.
The major category types of jade is in the form of Wei, Peng, Pin, Hsiao, Huan, Ring, Pi, Pang etc.

Jade Funerary Articles

Funerary rituals developed very early in China, shall be in upper Palaeolithic age. A large group of kuei, huang, pi, Tsung, hu and huang were found in a Western Chou tomb in Kansu Province.

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