Hongshan style Cloud Pendant

Here is another Hongshan style pendant which was purchased together with the one in previous post.

I am not normally a collector of replicas, but this one is such an amusing, inventive adaptation of the Hongshan classic Cloud pendant, that I couldnt resist. The original Hongshan cloud pendant is normally represented by an abstract pattern. The forger/reproducer of my piece has copied the original design and added a hole in the upper left and hey presto it is a sweet little deer! This cloud pendant turned deer measures 3.6x1.9cm.

Replica or no, deers, being my best collectible friends, next to birds, bees, fishes, butterflys et al, I was more than happy to get it. Hmmm, it may also be Ming or Qing vintage, like Xuang-Lian-Bi in earlier post. Now if only I could find a good way to string this one up life would be perfect :)

Double Connection Bi

Xuang lian bi is literally translated as Double Connection Bi. It is a shape orginating from the Hongshan Culture about BC.4000–3000 BC.

My miniature double connection bi measuring 2.7cm is made in the Hongshan style. It consists of two bis which are carved from one piece of jade with the bottom bi bigger than the top bi. Genuine double connection bis from the Hongshan culture are generally larger and I am sure mine is a replica. The seller had told me quite deadpan, that "large sized Hongshan pieces can be found anywhere but a small one would be a rare find." He!He! And he expected me to swallow his tall tale!

But inspite of the story which gave me a good laugh, I still bought the piece though not at Hongshan price. After all its quite nicely made, the jade is an attractive pale green, and this delicate piece appeals to me as my normal preference is for small over big. I am also optimistic that it may be made by a Ming miniaturist after my own heart. A final advantage is that I can wear it as a pendant strung up with my personally hand knotted cord.

The shape also resembles the number 8, which for Chinese is considered lucky. So heres to "BA!" (8) aka "FA" (prosperity)

Jade Slit-tube (Jue)

This Slit-tube artefact measuring 2cm long is also a Jue.

According to a Chinese source (Chinese jadeware: picture reference dictionary p.061) slit-tube as well as slit-ring jues were in existence in the Chahai Culture, around 5000BC. However, J Rawson in " Chinese jade: from the Neolith" says that "The earliest jue, which are more like slit-tubes than slit-rings, are found in the north-east in the Xinglongwa (about 5000 BC) and Chahai cultures (about 4500 BC), which preceded the Hongshan (about 3800-2700 BC)"

Although tube-shaped jues are described as probably ear ornaments by both the Chinese source as well as J Rawson I am at a loss to see how this slit-tube can be worn on the ear without falling off. These people from the Neolithic cultures sure have baffling ornaments. !



My specimen is plain with no embellishments and I am thinking that it may belong to some early neolithic culture. Jues (both tube-shaped and planar) from the later Warring states period have elaborate decorations of dragon, bird or cloud patterns on their surfaces.

IMPO a slit-tube (jue) looks more like a bead that has been slit and a better name for it could be "slit-bead (jue)." !

There is much weathering on the slit-tube, see pix below :

"Concentric-ring tool marks" are also present in the crevice of the slit-tube.


Here is another view of the slit-tube:


Looking at the slit-tube from this angle, gives me a wild idea that the tube may be sliced into several segments to form a few flat slit-rings. Now thats another silly thought for me to chew on. Yum! :))