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The Mystical heritage of Hongshan Jades

Updated: Jun 30

In China, the Neolithic period was marked by many transformations, particularly in the artistic field. Originating in the north-eastern regions of China, the Hongshan culture produced jade objects of unequalled beauty and finesse, which continue to captivate our imagination with their elegance and symbolism.


Plaque, China, neolithic period, Hongshan Culture (3500 - 2000 B.C.), conserved at the MET


Jade holds a special significance in Chinese culture. Named “the stone of heaven”, the Chinese believe it to be a symbol of luck, health and happiness. It’s a rock highly prized for its hardness, resistance to carving and polishing, as well as its color variations and its play of transparency and opacity. 

 

Jade was first worked over a vast territory, from northeast China to southeast Mongolia, by three cultures: Xinlongwa (8500 – 7000 B.C.), Xinle (7000 – 5000 B.C.) and Hongshan (circa 3500 – 2000 B.C.), the most representative.

 

Hongshan jade artefacts are celebrated for their beauty, profound symbolism and meticulous craftsmanship.


The dragon-pig from Hongshan, China (4500 - 3000 B.C. ), preserved in the National Museum of China, Beijing, image from the David Owsley museum


They are notably distinguished by superbly polished surfaces, very smooth and slightly rounded shapes. They include both figurative and abstract elements, their style is pictorial and naturalistic. Qualities that are difficult to achieve with such a hard-to-work-with material. This raises the question of the expertise acquired by the Hongshan culture in mastering the transformation of this raw material into works of art. A feat that remains a true enigma for researchers and archaeologists.

 

Jade stone has been used to make a wide variety of objects. In the early Neolithic period, it was used to make everyday tools such as axes and weapons. From the Hongshan culture onwards, it was favored by the elite, becoming an ornamental stone for jewelry and clothing.

 

However, jade did not serve a purely decorative purpose. It also carries a profound meaning. Often found in tombs, it played an important role in cultural and spiritual practices, and had a profound link with beliefs and status within society.


For example, one can look at the Hongshan jade in the form of a dragon-pig. With its majestic and mystical representation, it embodies the fusion of art, culture and spirituality, providing a fascinating testimony to the ancient Chinese civilization and its intimate relationship with jade.


"Dragon - cochon", le Zhulong, China, Hongshan Culture, National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taïwan


Twenty such objects have been discovered over the past few decades. Their representation remains uncertain, although it is generally accepted that they represent a dragon-pig. The Hongshan period corresponds to the end of the Neolithic period, a time when cultures expanded geographically, fostering exchanges between them. A number of practices tended to influence and unify from one region to another, contributing to the emergence of the dragon figure.

 

The pig-dragon is said to be the ancestor of the Chinese dragon, and the similarities in its representation between different ethnic groups reflect the development of a common culture aimed at creating a distinct Chinese civilization. Thus, the dragon has become a symbol of China, representing an eternal being depicted as a circle where the purity of jade encapsulates the movement of its vitality.


Références :





  • "Jades of the Hongshan culture : the dragon and fertility cult worship", by Elizabeth Childs-Johnson, Arts Asiatiques, published by l'École française d'Extrême Orient.

 
 
 

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