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Lot Essay
HSIUNG YI-CHING
According to Mao Zhuan, an early Western-Han work on the study of the Book of Songs, “a she is a type of jade pendants, worn only by those who have the strength to shoot arrows." In other words, she was worn exclusively by adults who possess the physical prowess to draw a bow and shoot arrows.
In 1976, during the excavation of the Fu Hao Tomb in Anyang, Henan Province, she (fig. 1) were unearthed. To use the she, first place it on the thumb and secure it with a string around the wrist to prevent from dislodging. Subsequently, use the concave groove to pull the bowstring and shoot. It was a purely practical object for archery.
These she maintained their utilitarian nature during the Spring and Autumn period; however, it was not until the early Eastern Zhou and Warring States period that a decorative variant, the "‘phoenix and bird’ she" (fig. 2), emerged. This she-form pendant, with its refined ornamental features far exceeding the utilitarian attributes, was purely intended for decorative purposes. The front and back of the pendant were carved with chi-dragon and bird motifs, respectively. The aperture of the pendant, measuring approximately 1.6 centimetres in diameter, precluded finger insertion. A minute perforation was drilled at the apex to facilitate cord threading for wearability. The elevated handle-like wing on the upper side was intricately carved into a phoenix, forfeiting its utilitarian origin as a bowstring hook. The lower section featured an embellished bifurcated bird tail, adding another layer of intricacy to its profile. This pendant is currently in the Palace Museum, Beijing.
From the late Warring States period to the early Western Han Dynasty, she has gradually lost their practical functionality. Consequently, she transitioned from cylindrical or shield-shaped forms to flattened decorative pendants known as "she-shaped pei" (珮 in Chinese). Archaeological records indicate that she-shaped pei were considered indispensable ornaments for the nobility.
Transitioning into the Western Han Dynasty, she retained elements from the late Warring States period yet with several modifications. Firstly, the handle-shaped wings, originally designed to hook bowstrings, gradually transformed into flanges with aesthetically carved phoenix motifs. Although still resembled their utilitarian origin, these she had gradually relinquished their primary functions for archery and transformed into decorative pendants she-shaped pei. Secondly, the elevated ornamental features evolved into ear-shaped appendages on both sides, resulting in varied and asymmetrical designs, such as two stylized phoenixes of different lengths. Thirdly, the she-shaped pei primarily served as decorative accessories, necessitating flatter forms, reduced aperture sizes, and elaborated patterns. In addition to the flattened forms, decorative protrusions on the sides also emerged in much diversified, exaggerated styles; new forms appeared.
The style of the present she-shaped pei is undoubtedly rare and distinctive. The she-shaped pei is meticulously carved from a single piece of jade, divided into two sections. The lower section comprises the original she form, exquisitely carved with cloud motifs and flanked by a phoenix on the sides. The upper section showcases a coiled chi-dragon standing triumphantly on a bear’s back. The two sections are connected via a hinged circular clasp carved through the aperture on the lower section. When folded, the bear's head precisely rest at the centre of the circular aperture, showcasing the exceptional craftsmanship of its maker.
Similar use of technique is found on a Western-Han jade mask-form pendant (fig. 3) in the Museum of the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King, which is carved with a similar hinge-device connecting the upper section and the bi disc below; as well as a jade belt hook, from the late Warring States period in the Aurora Museum, Shanghai, that is connected to a small mask-form pendant via a hinge (fig. 4).
According to Mao Zhuan, an early Western-Han work on the study of the Book of Songs, “a she is a type of jade pendants, worn only by those who have the strength to shoot arrows." In other words, she was worn exclusively by adults who possess the physical prowess to draw a bow and shoot arrows.
In 1976, during the excavation of the Fu Hao Tomb in Anyang, Henan Province, she (fig. 1) were unearthed. To use the she, first place it on the thumb and secure it with a string around the wrist to prevent from dislodging. Subsequently, use the concave groove to pull the bowstring and shoot. It was a purely practical object for archery.
These she maintained their utilitarian nature during the Spring and Autumn period; however, it was not until the early Eastern Zhou and Warring States period that a decorative variant, the "‘phoenix and bird’ she" (fig. 2), emerged. This she-form pendant, with its refined ornamental features far exceeding the utilitarian attributes, was purely intended for decorative purposes. The front and back of the pendant were carved with chi-dragon and bird motifs, respectively. The aperture of the pendant, measuring approximately 1.6 centimetres in diameter, precluded finger insertion. A minute perforation was drilled at the apex to facilitate cord threading for wearability. The elevated handle-like wing on the upper side was intricately carved into a phoenix, forfeiting its utilitarian origin as a bowstring hook. The lower section featured an embellished bifurcated bird tail, adding another layer of intricacy to its profile. This pendant is currently in the Palace Museum, Beijing.
From the late Warring States period to the early Western Han Dynasty, she has gradually lost their practical functionality. Consequently, she transitioned from cylindrical or shield-shaped forms to flattened decorative pendants known as "she-shaped pei" (珮 in Chinese). Archaeological records indicate that she-shaped pei were considered indispensable ornaments for the nobility.
Transitioning into the Western Han Dynasty, she retained elements from the late Warring States period yet with several modifications. Firstly, the handle-shaped wings, originally designed to hook bowstrings, gradually transformed into flanges with aesthetically carved phoenix motifs. Although still resembled their utilitarian origin, these she had gradually relinquished their primary functions for archery and transformed into decorative pendants she-shaped pei. Secondly, the elevated ornamental features evolved into ear-shaped appendages on both sides, resulting in varied and asymmetrical designs, such as two stylized phoenixes of different lengths. Thirdly, the she-shaped pei primarily served as decorative accessories, necessitating flatter forms, reduced aperture sizes, and elaborated patterns. In addition to the flattened forms, decorative protrusions on the sides also emerged in much diversified, exaggerated styles; new forms appeared.
The style of the present she-shaped pei is undoubtedly rare and distinctive. The she-shaped pei is meticulously carved from a single piece of jade, divided into two sections. The lower section comprises the original she form, exquisitely carved with cloud motifs and flanked by a phoenix on the sides. The upper section showcases a coiled chi-dragon standing triumphantly on a bear’s back. The two sections are connected via a hinged circular clasp carved through the aperture on the lower section. When folded, the bear's head precisely rest at the centre of the circular aperture, showcasing the exceptional craftsmanship of its maker.
Similar use of technique is found on a Western-Han jade mask-form pendant (fig. 3) in the Museum of the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King, which is carved with a similar hinge-device connecting the upper section and the bi disc below; as well as a jade belt hook, from the late Warring States period in the Aurora Museum, Shanghai, that is connected to a small mask-form pendant via a hinge (fig. 4).