Page 9 - Jades from the Chang We Hwa collection Hong Kong Dec 3 2021

A FEAST OF JADES AMIDST THE CLOUDS

– SPRING AND AUTUMN AND WARRING

STATES PERIODS

Chang Wei-Hwa

In the blink of an eye, the third part of the jade feast is upon The four seals included this time are either made of excellent
us. Following the ‘Neolithic period’ in 2019, and ‘Xia, Shang material, or with unique inscriptions, or with masterfully
and Western Zhou Dynasties’ in 2020, a remarkable collection carved finials. The most important is a white jade square
of 77 lots from the ‘Spring and Autumn and Warring States seal with an ‘inverted funnel’ finial that is carved with the
Periods’ will be presented to collectors and enthusiasts. characters Wen xin jun (Lord of Literary Fidelity) (lot 2760).
Research shows that it belonged to the seventh-generation
This part of the collection is divided into the following offspring of Confucius, Kong Qian, who was the prime
sections: ‘Contending Dragons’, ‘Qin-style Jades’, ‘Warring minister of King Anli of Wei, and was awarded the title
States Seals’, and the ‘Warring States Belt Buckles’. The Wenxinjun. The current seal is one of the most important
collection brings together their artistic, academic and seals of the Warring States period.
archaeology merits.
Warring States belt buckles are not only a necessity in the
‘Contending Dragons’ deconstructs the most important noblemen and upper class’s daily wear, they are also status
motif on jades of this period – dragon – both in form and symbols with careful attention to material and craftsmanship.
in decoration, as an expression of power between competing There are three examples this time that are worthy of note:
states. The jade dagger with bronze fitting (lot 2754) and first is an impressive multimedia example with gilt bronze,
the jade bi disc with dragon decoration (lot 2724) are jade and glass; second, a refined and elegant example with
amongst the more important examples amongst this group, excellent material decorated with dragon and phoenix; third,
and many are accompanied by detailed rubbings that show a very rare example in shield form. These are complemented
the difference between the robust dragons of the Spring by fine agate rings and glass beads that are worthy of
and Autumn period (770-476 BC) and the more convivial appreciation.
examples of the Warring States period (475-221 BC). The
majority of these jades are made in the Chu style. I would like to pay special thanks to Mr. Liu Yunhui, vice
chairman of the Cultrual Relics Bureau in Shaanxi, whose
On the other hand, ‘Qin-style jades’ are considered extremely work in Eastern Zhou Jades excavated in Shaanxi provided
rare amongst jades of the Spring and Autumn and Warring the most authoritative material in the ‘Qin-Style Jades’
States periods (770-221BC). The Qin state was located to the section. I would also like to thank Mr. Zhang Shuihe for his
northwest region, and its geography, culture and economy meticulous rubbings of some of the highlight pieces; Mr.
were very different to those of the eastern states, thus given Wang Xinggong for the accurate and vivid line drawings for
rise to a very distinctive Qin style as exemplified by several of some of the important pieces; and Mr. Hsiung I-Ching for
the jades in the current sale. his research.

Jade is the rarest and most precious of materials that were I hope the third part of the collection will once again
used for seals in the Warring States period, whether for contribute positively to the academic studies as well as the
official or private use, and there are very few extant examples. collecting world of Chinese archaic jades.

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