A bi is described as a flat jade disc with a circular hole in the centre resembling modern day cds or doughnuts. Bis have been in use since Neolithic times and have various ritualistic and auspicious associations.
The flat jade disc shown below resembles a bi except for the perforation which does not sit in the middle so I will describe it as a bi with an off centre hole, although I can't account for the aberration.
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| Bi with off centre hole |
The piece is flat and round, measuring 3cm across and 0.6cm thick . A phoenix, curled round a stylized border is carved on one side of the disc. Its shape and phoenix pattern bears resemblance to the necklace closures or clasps seen on many of the recovered sumptuous pei pectorals (necklaces) of the Xizhou dynasty. (1027-771BC) Such necklaces showing the closures are also displayed in numerous museums throughout China, so very tentatively I may ascribe this bi closure to that period.
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| Could be a necklace closure (clasp) |
The back is uncarved except for small scratch marks near the hole, which maybe archaic script (is it jia-guwen 甲骨文 the oracle writing of the Shang dynasty), or artists' signature.
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| Uncarved back except for small mark |
Phoenix and bi are iconic wen wu (cultural relics) from China. |
| Phoenix on a bi |
Update August 2019 For a similar off-centre bi with carving see Freer and Sackler website.
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