MID-WARRING STATES PERIOD, CIRCA 400-300 BC

Compare two rectangular plaques also carved with four dragons in a symmetrical layout but in different compositions, one in openwork and dated to the mid Warring States period, excavated from tomb no. 3 at the Zhongshan Kingdom tomb site, Pingshan County, Hebei Province, illustrated in Zhongguo yuqi quanji-3-Spring Autumn Period, Hebei, 1993, no. 221; the other in low relief and dated to the late Warring States period, excavated from tomb no. 6 at the Zhongshan Kingdom tomb site, Pingshan County, Hebei Province, illustrated ibid., no. 231 (fig. 1).