EASTERN ZHOU DYNASTY, 4TH-3RD CENTURY BC

Inscriptions written by Xu Hanqing inside the brocade box and on the inner removable cover state that the bead was excavated in Henan province and acquired in Beijing by Xu in the Autumn of the guiyou year, corresponding to 1933. The inscription on the removable cover includes Xu Hanqing's seal, and on the top of this cover is an inscription, you mei yu yu si, (here lies a beautiful jade). There is also a four-character inscription, 'it is treasured by Chunzhai' and a three-character inscription, 'ancient jade le.' Chunzhai is the art-name of Xu Hangqing, and le refers to a bead of this type.