Page 50 - Bonhams Hong King May 30 2017 THE SONGZHUTANG COLLECTION OF EARLY JADES

The present lot is a rare example of a large decorated bi disc of the 此榖紋大玉璧淺黃玉，沁青銅，局部鐵紅鏽斑或為第二次入土後的受
Eastern Zhou dynasty, powerfully yet sensitively carved in crisp relief 沁。扁平體，正圓形，沿璧面內外圓周，各琢陰線一圈，形成窄緣，
with a high number of 1652 evenly spaced bosses. Each raised boss 琢排列整齊而緊密的榖紋，榖粒飽滿凸出、精美利手，陰線刻繪榖
is visually and physically full and bulbous, resulting from a painstaking 尾，雙面雕琢榖紋共1652粒，數量之多世所罕見，絕對是在嚴謹工序
manufacturing process and formidable skill and execution. The large 和熟練技法下所雕琢出的作品。全器呈生坑厚灰，璧面局部有蚯蚓昆
size and the exceptional level of workmanship suggest that this bi was 蟲化石殘留，是古玉之中的稀世珍寶，有可能為當時的鎮國之寶。
of particular significance during the Eastern Zhou period, and was
probably made for important ceremonial purposes. 有關玉璧的用途，考古界至今尚未有統一定論，但從新石器時代開
始，良渚文化墓葬中出現的大量玉璧均是作為權力、財富的象徵。
According to the Zhouli (the Rites of Zhou), bi discs were regarded as 《周禮》亦有以玉為祭祀禮器的記載：「以玉作六器，以禮天地四
suitable offering to Heaven, and therefore became symbolic of Heaven. 方，以蒼璧禮天，以黃宗禮地，以青圭禮東方，以赤璋禮南方，以
Bi discs were often gifts, offerings or sacrifices, especially during the 白琥禮西方，以玄璜禮北方」，認為璧屬於一種祭祀天神的禮器，
Spring and Autumn period. Large discs. such as the present lot, are 可見其特殊地位。玉璧的用途除了禮神敬祖外，在春秋時期亦有敬
rare throughout the periods between the Neolithic period and the fifth 人之說，為卑者敬尊長者所備之禮物。更多有關玉璧的論述，可參
century BC. For a discussion about jade discs, see J.Rawson, Chinese 考J. Rawson，《Chinese Jade from the Neolithic to the Qing》，倫
Jade from the Neolithic to the Qing, London, 1995, pp.247-251. 敦，1995年，頁247-251。

Compare a green jade bi disc, Spring and Autumn period (29.7cm 雖然傳世的玉璧頗多，但在新石器時代至東周時期期間，形制大者
diam.), excavated from tomb no.1 in Majiazhuang in Fengxiang, Shanxi 都極為罕見，而此璧不只形制大，更飾有繁複榖紋，相仿之例寥寥可
Province, carved with densely incised decoration consisting of 104 數，可見此璧之重要性。陝西省鳳翔縣馬家莊1號建築群遺址出土一
scrolling dragons, which in its superb manner of execution and the 件春秋晚期龍紋玉璧可資參考，雖然該玉璧尺寸較大，且所飾的不是
concept of a monumental decoration is closely related to the present 榖紋，而是以繁複勾連雲紋組成的共104條龍紋，但這是迄今為止發
lot; see Gufang, The Pictorial Handbook of Ancient Chinese Jades, 現的春秋時期紋飾最為繁縟、形體最大的玉璧，而其豐富壯觀的裝飾
Beijing, 2007, p.176. 風格及高超的工藝與此玉璧雕刻作風不謀而合，相信均為東周時期十
分重要的玉器，見古方編，《中國古玉器圖典》，北京，2007年，
In the execution of the grain pattern, the present lot is also comparable 頁176。
with several additional examples: see one example, early Warring
States period, in the Yang Te T’ang Collection, illustrated by Teng Shu 此類玉璧在考古發掘及傳世品中極其罕見，但與此玉璧榖紋風格相類
P’ing, 1999 Collectors’ Exhibition of Archaic Chinese Jades, Taipei, 者，可參考養德堂藏一件戰國早中期的榖紋玉璧，曾展出於台北國立
1999, p.277; another bi disc, Warring States period, excavated from 故宮博物院，見鄧淑蘋，《羣玉別藏續集》，台北，1999年，頁277
Jincun in Luoyang, Henan Province, now in the Henan Provincial ；也見河南省洛陽市金村曾出土的一件戰國玉璧，現藏於河南博物
Museum, is illustrated in The Complete Collection of Jades Unearthed 院，見《中國出土玉器全集5》，北京，2010年，頁201；再參考山東
in China, vol.5, Beijing, 2010, p.201; and a third example, excavated 省曲阜市魯國故城58號墓出土一件玉璧，《中國出土玉器全集4》，
from tomb no.58 at the site of the ancient capital city of the State 北京，2010年，頁212。更多造型和璧內孔比例相仿者，見北京故宮
of Lu, Qufu, Shangdong Province, is illustrated ibid., vol.4, Beijing, 博物院藏兩件戰國大玉璧，著錄於《故宮博物院藏品大系：玉器編3
2010, p.212. For further examples of large bi with a relatively small ：春秋戰國》，北京，2011年，頁104-105，圖版99-100。
hole similar to the present lot, see two illustrated in Compendium of
Collections in the Palace Museum: Jade 3 Spring and Autumn period 玉璧亦在歷史舞台上反覆出現，如出自司馬遷《史記·廉頗藺相如列
and Warring States period, Beijing, 2011, pp.104-105, pls.99-100. 傳》中「完璧歸趙」之典故。戰國時期眾所周知秦王願以十五座城池
與趙國換和氏璧，秦強趙弱，趙國唯有冒險讓門客藺相如攜璧出使秦
The importance of bi discs is further indicated in the Chinese idioms 國，藺相如卻在秦國看穿秦王無意將城池給予趙國，憑著他的智勇雙
‘Wanbi guizhao’ (Jade returned intact to the State of Zhao) and ‘Jiazhi 全，使計讓侍從將和氏璧攜返趙國，繼而有「完璧歸趙」、「價值連
liancheng’ (the value that is the worth of several cities), derived from 城」之成語，從而更進一步強調了玉璧之重要性。
the Biographies of Lian Po and Lin Xiangru in the Historical Records,
which refers to a story of the Warring States period: Heshi Bi (the jade
bi of Bianhe) was given to the State of Zhao as a betrothal gift by the
State of Chu, while the King of the Qin State wished to exchange this
priceless treasure with 15 fortresses. The King of Zhao then sent Lin
Xiangru to negotiate with Qin over Heshi Bi and soon Lin found out
that the King of the Qin State wanted to intentionally swindle the jade
rather than give out the fortresses. With Lin’s intelligence and courage,
he managed to leave Qin and return the precious jade intact to the
State of Zhao. Later, the idiom Wanbi guizhao became a common
phrase to describe something that is returned intact to its owner. This
highlights the important role of jade bi in Chinese culture.

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