Page 86 - Jades from the Chang We Hwa collection Hong Kong Dec 3 2021

QIN-STYLE JADES

Chang Wei-Hwa

The Qin a state lasted 550 years, from 770 BC when Duke their culture to form a localised ethnic ‘Qin Culture’, which,
Xiang of Qin was first invested with a dukedom by the King concurrently, includes many elements from tribal cultures.
Ping of Zhou, until 221 BC when the first Emperor, Qin
Shihuangdi, conquered six other states to form a unified From a stylistic point of view, Qin artifacts vary in form,
country. Emerging as a small insignificant state in the northwest decoration and techniques of manufacture to those of the eastern
corner, it rose to become one of the Five Hegemons of the states and are very distinctive. Archaic jades from the Qin states
Spring and Autumn period, then one of the Seven Strong States are therefore categorised as ‘Qin-style jades’ in academia.
of the Warring States period, until the unification of China. Qin-style jades have been excavated mainly at the Qin capital
Apart from various political, economical and military factors at Yongcheng in Fengxiang County, Shaanxi; the tomb of Duke
play, it owes its success in large part to its constant assimilation Jing of Qin at Zhihuicun, south of Fengxiang County; the Qin
of other cultures. tomb No.2 at Yimencun in Baoji; Qin capital Xianyang; the
sacrificial pit dated to late Warring States to Qin Dynasty to the
Compared to the other states in the Central Plain, Qin’s north of Xi’an; as well as examples of Qin-style jades found in
establishment is relatively late, and is situated at the north west tombs dated to early Western Han. From excavated examples
corner, neighbouring the Rong and Di tribes. It is said in Shiji: we could see that Qin-style jades first appeared in early Spring
Qin Benji (Records of the Grand Historian: Chronicle of Qin), and Autumn period and reached a zenith during late Spring
‘Qin is situated remotely at Yongzhou, and it did not attend and Autumn period. Although the style continues through the
the Alliance Meetings of the central states, but met with the Yi Warring States period, it was already in decline.
and Zhai tribes.’ It is in this isolated existence away from the
eastern states that Qin was able to cultivate the land of Shaanxi Qin-style jades dated to the late Spring and Autumn period
and Guanzhong, incorporating the remnant Zhou people and are the most numerous, and most varied in from as well as in

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