Other Jades in National Palace Museum, part1

Welcome to the National Palace Museum's collection of jades! Here you can explore some of the most amazing pieces from China's imperial past. We have a variety of different jades on display here, including a Jade Duck, Jade Cong Tube, Jade Brush Wash in the Shape of Lotus Leaf, Jade Divine Beast, Jade Horn-shaped Cup, Jade Gui Tablet, Xi Bodkin with Chi Tiger Pattern and Jade Pi-Hsieh, auspicious beast. These are all important pieces in Chinese history that tell us about how people interacted with each other during this time period. Come take a look at these fascinating artifacts today!

1. Jade Duck

This jade duck was carved out of a yellow nephrite. Its head, belly, and feet are dark brown. The jade duck has very simple carving. But its physical features, like its lifted tail and round bottom, look accurate and make it look cute and lively.

2. Jade Cong Tube

The Liangzhu Culture was a group of people who lived around the drainage basin of Lake T'ai in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River around 4000 to 5000 years ago.

3. Jade Brush Wash in the Shape of Lotus Leaf

This cup is made of a yellowish green jade with brownish yellow mottling and occasional grey-white streaks. It is shaped like a dried lotus leaf, with crinkled edges and a handle.

4. Jade Divine Beast

This work depicts a winged divine beast carved in the round. The beast has a tiger head, with its mouth open and teeth bared. It also has a goatee on its chin.

5. Jade Horn-shaped Cup

This vessel is made of greenish-white jade. It is shaped like a horn and has a coiling dragon carved into the surface in relief. The dragon is strong and forceful, revealing the unique vigor of Han dynasty craftsmanship.

6. Jade Gui Tablet

The Longshan culture was a period in China when social divisions became increasingly distinct. Only members of the ruling class were allowed to use jade during this time. Long, narrow pieces of jade were called gui, while larger, broader pieces were known as yue.

7. Jade Gui Tablet

This jade gui tablet is yellow on both sides, with the lower half of the reverse side having a red tinge. The cutting edge of the blade is much darker, almost black, and exhibits many nicks. The other end, where the tablet was held, also shows signs of damage.

8. Jade Tablet

The jade tablet is a 5 on the Mohr's scale and has a warm luster. It is ochre-red, with spots of varying sizes, and appears like stars in the Milky Way. It is not perfectly rectangular, being slightly trapezoidal.

9. Xi Bodkin with Chi Tiger Pattern

The "xi" is a type of hornless dragon that looks like a tiger. This piece is carved as the profile of a "xi" dragon, with its head turned back. It has hints of russet red, which makes it quite unique.

10. Jade Pi-Hsieh, auspicious beast