Intro (Still needs to be revised and extended)
Jade has long been considered an enigma, the strong colorful mineral has a rich history in Chinese culture. Originally used in the Neolithic Age to create weaponry, 1,the mineral quickly became appreciated for its beauty and was carved for ornamental purposes. As the use of jade continued throughout the dynasties the complexity or wares created increased, supported by the development of carving technology. Jade has continued to hold significance in Chinese culture and traditions allowing for jade carving to persist.
Body Paragraphs
- Where is jade found
- During the Zhou it is suggested that jade was imported as river stones from Khotan, this was nephrite and is the preferred form of jade into the present day.
- Late Ming period quarried nephrite was imported from Yarkand because of the greater quantity provided compared to river stones.
- Qing period introduced jadeite from Burma
- 18th century-Dark green nephrite was obtained from siberia (this was not preferred by the chinese but became the most well known by Western countries)
- Dynasties and periods (Directly referenced in the section on technology from “The Evolution of Chinese Jade Carving Craftsmanship.”, his source does not reference the Song dynasty itself but breaks it down into northern and southern so I’m not sure how to correctly include it and reference it.)
- Shang dynasty (1600-1046 BCE)
- Chunqiu period (770-476 BCE)
- Zhanguo period (475-221 BCE)
- Sui dynasty (581-618 CE)
- Tang dynasty (618-907 CE)
- Beisong dynasty and Liao dynasty “northern” (960-1127)
- Nansong dynasty and Jin dynasty “southern” (1127-1279)
- Yuan dynasty (1271-1368)
- Ming dynasty (1368-1644)
- Qing dynasty (1644-1911)
- Discuss the technology used in the dynasties (Info obtained by Wang, Mingying, and Guanghi Shi. “The Evolution of Chinese Jade Carving Craftsmanship.”, I’m having trouble finding one specific source used throughout this piece that is referenced)
- Primitive jade carving (3500-2070 BCE)– Neolithic age. Objects were formed through the process of cutting, sanding, and drilling by hand or by rotary machine, it is unclear exactly. “The quality if jade carving craftsmanship varied from place to place due to different rates of cultural development”
- Bronze rotary machine (2070-sixth century BCE)– Emerged in the Neolithic period. Inlays of bronze and turquoise , jade and turquoise, bronze and jade. Jade vessels emerged and corresponded to a rise in hallowing. Shang dynasty jade carving reached a new skill level, cutting, grinding, carving, drilling, polishing, design, shape creation. Qiaose technique also appeared, this technique takes advantage of jades uneven and different coloring that appears in jade naturally, Qiaose craft the shape and placement of color naturally occurring in the jade is taken into account to use the color for the aesthetic design of. Chain carving appeared in the Shang dynasty.
- Iron rotary machine (sixth century BCE-581 CE)– Burial jade thrived in the Chunqiu period which had determined the carving systems used in the Han dynasty. Burial jade did not differ in technique from daily jade item technique, burial jade is defined as more concise and less exquisite. Openwork technique in the Zhanguo period. Piercing was applied to flat jade ware but three dimensional work appeared. Jade and metal inlay and splicing advanced level during the Zhanguo period. Copper, silver, iron, gold were inlaid in jade or used to stitch pieces of jade together. Flexible chain carving thrived and matured in the Zhanguo period.
- Table-type iron rotary machine (581-1960)– Inlay of gems, jade, and gold increased in popularity during the Sui and Tang dynasties, but became widely used in the late Ming. Islamic jade influence on Chinese jade during the Qing, inlays referenced plants and was considered exotic. Song, Liao, Jin, Yuan jade caring became influenced by painting and sculpture which allowed for jade carving to transition into 3d. Jade carving became more ornamental including the themes of human figures, flowers, and animals. Increase in the use of the piercing technique previously mentioned furthering the increase of 3d jade carvings. Ming dynasty literati paintings (still want to define this) influenced jade carving at this time, differed from folk and royal art and were instead romantic and led to the integration of landscapes, texts, and decorative patterns. Qing dynasty saw the use of royal court painters’ input in jade carving showing the peak of artistic integration in jade carving. Technological improvements allowed for complex large jade carvings to emerge.
- Progression of jade carving designs and motifs
- Transition from 2d to 3d (discussed in the technology breakdown)
- Define literati and its influence on jade carving during the Ming dynasty.
- Qing dynasty large jade carving, artistic integration.
- Jade in Chinese tradition (symbolism, significance)
- Need help finding a scholarly source for this still.
- Yellow was associated with Heaven and the emperor. (Mowry, Robert D. “Chinese Jades from Han to Qing.”, page 53)
- Different colors of jade, rarity of the jade and its significance in trade (Info obtained from Mowry, Robert D. “Chinese Jades from Han to Qing.”)
- Jade ranges from white, yellow, green, gray, black.
- Jadeite- more brilliantly colored (emerald green, lavender, yellow)
- White jade has been preferred throughout Chinese history specifically during the Song. White quality jade is rare which led to a increase in the use of pale green white jade
- Black jade was popular during the Song and Yuan
- Yellow jade in the Ming.
- Yellow was associated with Heaven and the emperor.
Conclusion
- Lasting significance of jade in chinese culture and traditions (still need scholarly sources)
- Continued use of nephrite
- Dark green jade associations from the west, how has this impacted the production of jade items and the commercialization of it (need source for this specifically)
Still want to change/add
- Images of machines
- Examples of jade carvings for each period
- Revise/fix/add footnotes
- Form into flowing paragraphs
Sources
Lee, Sherman E. “Chinese Carved Jades.” The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 41, no. 4 (1954): 67–71. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25141956.
Mowry, Robert D. “Chinese Jades from Han to Qing.” Archaeology 34, no. 1 (1981): 52–55. http://www.jstor.org/stable/41726543.
Wang, Mingying, and Guanghi Shi. “The Evolution of Chinese Jade Carving Craftsmanship.” Gems & Gemology 56, no. 1 (March 1, 2020): 30–53.
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