Jade bi disc with rush mat pattern, Southern Song dynasty, 1127-1279 C.E.-China Archive

Image Number: K1C001997N000000000PAB
Dynasty: Southern Song dynasty
Category: Jades
Function: Sacrificial vessels
Material: Minerals/Jade Jewelry/Jade
Description:
It is made of bluish white jade and distributed with large dark and light brown spots. It may be carved with jade from prehistoric to early historical times. Both the hole edge and the wall edge have a narrow edge. The surface between the two narrow edges is crossed by three groups of parallel lines in different directions to form a grid like pattern. Although the grid lines are arranged densely, the carving is often distorted and not straight, so that the grid size is not very regular. From a distance, it may be mistaken for a Han Dynasty jade. From a closer look, we can see that it lacks the spirit of Han Dynasty jade because of its poor workmanship. At present, most of the jade murals unearthed in the Southern Song Dynasty are small in size, except for the plain ones unearthed from the tomb of Hu Dachang of Longyou Stone Buddha Commune in Quzhou, Zhejiang Province, and the dragon pattern murals unearthed in Fayun Lane, Hangzhou.