Page 96 - The Golden Age of Chinese Archaeology: Celebrated Discoveries from the People’s Republic of China

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FIG. 2. Triple-bi'-shaped right side of the chest of the deceased, a more flat disk with a hole in the center — was a cherished
jade pendant; length recent publication places it on the tomb occupant's image in China from prehistoric through imperial
!
6.4 (2 /2); Hongshan 4
culture; excavated in 1973 upper arm — a position that indicates a function times. It had a ritual function, and later texts, such
from Tomb 3, Hutougou, for which we have evidence of a long tradition. as the Zhou li (The rites of Zhou), dating from the
Fuxin, Liaoning province. Several tilelike patterns decorate the surface of Warring States to Western Han periods, remark that
After Fang and Liu 1984, 4,
fig- 93- the object; two holes are pierced on opposite sides, the bi might symbolize heaven, or that it served as
and a single hole is pierced through the curved a ritual instrument for sacrifices to heaven. In
end. Three examples of similar jades dating fifteen fact, the diverse forms and sizes of the Hongshan
hundred years later than the Hongshan jades (one bi-shaped pendants are an indication that they
of these resembles the cloudlike plaque, and one probably served several purposes — decorative,
resembles the arm ornament [see fig. i]) have been ceremonial, or ritual. XY
excavated from tombs of the Lower Xiajiadian
culture. 5 1 For example, see Yang 19933; Du 1998; Liu 1998.
2 Liaoning 19973.
The double-bz-shaped pendant (cat. 20) was 3 Liaoning i997d, 27
dug out by farmers from a tomb at Locality 2, Ni- and 56.
uheliang and retrieved by archaeologists in i98i. 6 4 Reported: Wei 1994,11-12; Liaoning i997d, 61.
5 Zhongguo 1996,171 -172.
Two much smaller double-bz pendants of a different 6 Reported: Sun 3nd Guo 1984,13 -14.
shape were unearthed at Tomb 21, Mound i, Local- 7 Liaoning 1997)3, 10 -11.
ity 2 at Niuheliang in 19897 Another smaller triple- 8 Fang and Liu 1984, 4.
bi-shaped pendant was excavated at Hutougou,
8
Fuxin, Liaoning province in 1973 (fig. 2). The bi — a

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