Page 107 - Christie's Hong Kong November 29, 2022 Chang e Wha Collection of Jades

fig. 1 Collection of the National Palace Museum, Taipei fig. 2
圖一 國立故宮博物院藏品 圖二

‘Han eight-cut’ is a unique decorative technique in ancient Chinese surname Ruan, was a brave general serving under Qin Shihuang
lapidary using negative carving, and appeared as early as the late emperor. He was said to be one zhang and 3 chi in height (almost
Warring States period on jade bi discs, becoming fully developed 400 centimeters), and extremely gallant. He was stationed in Lintao
in the Han Dynasty. This technique is often used on jade cicadas, by the emperor to ward off the Xiongnu tribe. After he died,
jade pigs, jade Weng Zhong figures, jade ‘compass’ pendants, and the emperor ordered a bronze statue of him made and placed it
jade bi discs with kui dragons or kui phoenixes. It makes use of an outside the Sima Gate of Xianyang Palace as guardian. Thereafter,
angled wheel cut called ‘daxiedao’ (great angled cut) with very sharp bronze or stone guardian figures outside a palace or a tomb are
and clean edges where the wheel comes into contact with the stone called Weng Zhong. Han lapidaries carved miniature Weng Zhong
both perpendicularly and at an angle. Its style is bold and powerful figures the size of a thumb to be suspended from the belt as
as if cut by a knife, and the design is composed of a mere few strokes protection talisman.
without showing signs of composite wheel marks. The grooves are
polished to a high finish even down to the deepest recess. Jade Weng Zhong figure, jade ‘compass’ pendant and jade gangmao
pendant are called the Three Talisman Treasures of Han Dynasty.
Compared to examples from other periods, jade cicadas from the
Han Dynasty are very distinctive. Carved in ‘Han eight-cut’ style, Sinan is a compass of ancient China shaped like a spoon above
they have a high forehead, bulging eyes and a wide neck. They a base plate; regardless of the position of the base plate, the free spinning
are decorated with sparse lines, with the body delineated with spoon always settles on the ≈direction of the south. Divination was very
simply carved grooves; the overall appearance is neat, symmetrical popular in the Han Dynasty, so the base plates are often carved with the
and elegant. heavenly stems, earthly branches and eight trigrams etc. to aid the diviner
in predicting whether any given situation is auspicious. As jade is said to
Jade funerary objects became very fashionable in the Han Dynasty, ward off evil, sinan-shaped jade pendant were made to be an auspicious
and those made to be placed in the hands of the deceased are called talisman to be worn as ‘compass’ pendants. The ‘compass’ pendants are
wo (to hold). After mid Western Han period, jade pigs were used as shaped as two flattened cylinder connected with a waist section, below
wo. These jade pigs are carved with ‘Han eight-cut’ technique to a spoon and a plate on the top. The surface is normally unadorned, and
great effect. A jade pig in the Taipei Palace Museum (fig. 1) was they are often drilled with an attachment hole, sometimes at the waist,
greatly admired by the Qianlong Emperor, who mistook it for a or on the handle of the spoon.
bear and composed a poem On Han Jade Bear for it to be inscribed
on the base: Although there are no gangmao pendants in the current sale, they are
noteworthy for their importance. Gangmao and yanmao pendants are
In the ancient time this style is made, who dare try it in the present day? often grouped together. They are both of rectangular cuboid shape
It’s neither alike nor not-alike; a zen puzzle by the lapidary of jade. around 2 cm. high and 1 cm. wide. They are pierced lengthways
(Qinggaozong yuzhishi, Vol. 5, Juan 95) (fig. 2) in the centre for attachment. The four long sides are inscribed
each with 8 characters for a total of 32 characters, or 10 characters
The jade Weng Zhong figures from Han Dynasty are also carved on the first side and 8 characters on the rest (34 characters). The
in the ‘Han eight-cut’ technique. The face only features eyes inscription is written in yishu script, which is one of the eight scripts
and mouth, delineated with three to five short incised lines, of Qin Dynasty. The gangmao pendants have the characters gangmao in
like the character 品 written upside down. The head is oval the first line, while yanmao pendants have the characters yanmao
above a triangle-shaped beard, and the figure is wearing a loose in the first line – both inscriptions are invocations for protection from
robe with broad sleeves crossed at the front. Weng Zhong, the gods and for warding off misfortune.

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