Other Jades in National Palace Museum, part2

Welcome to the National Palace Museum's collection of jades from the Song dynasty! Here you will find a variety of different jades, including the Jade Hooked Cloud-shaped Pei Ornament, Jade Pig-dragon, Jade Staff Finial in the Shape of a Pigeon, Jade Cong Tube, Jade flower-holder in the Shape of Fish-Creature, Jade Ornament in the Shape of Phoenix Crowned with Dragon, Jade High-stemmed Cup, Jadeite Cabbage in a cloisonne flowerpot and Jasper Plate with Gold Tracery. These pieces are all unique works of art that tell us about the culture and history of China during this period. Come take a look at these incredible artifacts today!

1. Jade Hooked Cloud-shaped Pei Ornament

The Hongshan people saw birds of prey soaring over the vast deserts and steppes to the west of the Liao River and north of Mount Yan. They thought these birds were special because they looked strong and powerful.

2. Jade Pig-dragon

This pig-dragon is a jade object from the Hongshan Culture. It is shaped like an animal embryo and has bat ears, a wrinkled nose, and an arched mouth.

3. Jade Staff Finial in the Shape of a Pigeon

The Great Depression was a time of poverty and despair. It was caused by the stock market crash of 1929, which led to a chain of events that caused the economy to go into a downward spiral.

4. Jade Cong Tube

This large jade cong tube probably came to the Qing court in the 19th century, which is why its surface doesn't have imperial inscriptions of praise by the Qianlong Emperor (r. 1736-1795) and so it still looks original.

5. Jade flower-holder in the Shape of Fish-Creature

This work of art features a fish that is jumping up with its tail curled, surrounded by carved waves. The head of the fish is especially noteworthy, with its bulging eyes, long whiskers, and prominent nose. The horns on the fish indicate that it is in the process of transforming into a dragon.

6. Jade Ornament in the Shape of Phoenix Crowned with Dragon

This carving is very precise, and the head of the phoenix is decorated with a kui-dragon.

7. Jade High-stemmed Cup

This is a pretty, fancy jade cup with a handle and high foot, carved from a piece of shiny, see-through white jade. The cup is long and skinny, with a round hole bored through the middle, fitted with a handle and given a high foot.

8. Jadeite Cabbage, in a cloisonne flowerpot

This piece of art is almost exactly like a piece of bokchoy cabbage. The artist carved it out of jadeite, and it looks just like the real thing, down to the white vegetable body and bright green leaves.

9. Jasper Plate with Gold Tracery

The jade from Hindustan in Northern India is known for its beautiful craftsmanship.