Xuzhou Exhibition | Heavenly Craftsmanship in Han Dynasty Jade: The Exquisite Jade Artifacts of Xuzhou Museum

The beauty of stone is jade, and about 9,000 years ago, jade had already established a close relationship with the ancestors of China. Since then, jade has become a symbol of divine and royal power, a medium connecting heaven and earth, and a manifestation of the hierarchical system. From the Spring and Autumn period onwards, represented by the Confucian school, jade was moralized and personalized, and jade culture became one of the important cores of Chinese civilization. During the Han Dynasty, the reverence and esteem for jade meant that it became a carrier for rituals and social interactions, a utility for life and decoration, a model for morality and conduct, and a tool for the pursuit of immortality and the desire for eternity. Pengcheng was the political center during the Qin and Han dynasties, and also the capital of the Han Liu royal family's Chu and Pengcheng states. Numerous high-level tombs, including those of the kings of Chu and Pengcheng, have been discovered around the current urban area of Xuzhou, with jade artifacts being one of the most valuable categories of unearthed relics. The quantity, variety, and quality of Han Dynasty jade artifacts unearthed in Xuzhou are numerous, comprehensive, and high, representing the highest level of Han Dynasty jade craftsmanship. Ritual Jade Jade ritual objects have been used since the Neolithic period, mainly for sacrifices, court visits, and alliances. People of different ranks held different jade objects. Han Dynasty ritual jade continued the traditions of the Zhou Dynasty, but not as strictly, and the variety of objects was reduced. Daily-use Jade Exquisite jade was an indispensable part of the life of Han Dynasty nobility, with various jade artifacts hanging as decorations in palaces, and daily utensils also made of jade. These jade artifacts were made from carefully selected materials, exquisitely crafted, with designs that were either bold or restrained, lines that were either straight or soft, and decorations that were either complex or simple, representing an important embodiment of Han Dynasty artistic achievements. Decorative Jade 'A gentleman compares virtue to jade,' and 'A gentleman never parts with jade without reason,' jade became the symbol of perfect personality and the highest standard of moral cultivation. Decorative jade was an important category of Han Dynasty jade artifacts, with both individual pendants and complete sets of ornaments, as well as jade sword fittings that were both practical and decorative. Funerary Jade The Han Dynasty nobility pursued immortality, and it was the most prosperous period for the use of funerary jade artifacts, forming a funerary jade system centered around jade burial suits, including inlaid jade lacquer coffins, jade bi, jade pillows, nine-hole plugs, jade grips, etc. The early Western Han period was an important time for the production and development of jade burial suits, with the most diverse forms unearthed in Xuzhou. Jade masks were also used among the Chu nobility during the Western Han Dynasty. Jade burial suits and jade masks reflected the hierarchical differences in the Western Han Chu funerary jade system. The use of jade burial suits was not yet standardized in the Western Han Dynasty, but by the Eastern Han Dynasty, a system had been formed to distinguish ranks by threading jade pieces with metal wires. Ref: She said Xuzhou Merchant Name: Xuzhou Museum Address: No. 118 Heping Road, Yunlong District, Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province Tickets: Free Opening Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9:00-17:00 (entry stops at 16:00, preparation for clearing the venue at 16:55) Closed on Mondays (except national statutory holidays)