Chinese Black Jade Immortality Ancestor Amulet "Bi" Disk to Heaven w/Translation

Description

ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS
Artifacts, Antiques, & Fine Collectibles
Chinese Black Jade Ritual
Celestial
“
Bi
” Disc
Ritual Celestial Portal to the Heavenly (
Tian
) Cosmos
Partial English Translation of
60+ Ancient Characters
Sons’ Sacrifices to the Ancestors for Their Father
Hongshan Culture
c. 4500 BC—2250 BC
"
In the Presence of our Ancestors, We the Sons and Grandsons Offer
Our Prayers and Many Sacrifices of Animals, Wine, Bronze Vessels, Money,
And this Jade Bi to Them, so that They Will Provide Safe Passage to
Our Father and Welcome Him as He Journeys to the Heavenly Cosmos (Tian).
May Our Father Eternally Join His Many Ancestors in Tian.”
~English translation of this jade Bi disk provided by
WDH, President of Ancient Civilizations
NOTE:
William D. Houghton, the President of ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS
, a State of Washington Licensed Business,
assumes all responsibility for the information contained in this description and for the English translation and transcription of the ancient Chinese graphic characters.
Furthermore, I prohibit the further dissemination of this information in any written, video, or electronic format without my expressed, written approval.
Thank You!
SUMMARY
This ceremonial, Jade Amulet is a ritual disk called a “
Bi
” in Chinese and dates approximately to the Hongshan Culture of ancient China, 4500 BC to 2250 BC.
It measures approximately 2.58” (65 mm) in diameter x .60” (15 mm) thick and weighs 3.1 oz (88gr) of highly-prized, old Nephrite Jade that has turned black from the iron in the soil.
The center hole is classified as a “bi-conical bore hole” that measures .81” (21mm) in diameter.
Condition: No chips, cracks, repairs, or restorations. Only minor surface scratches, calcification, and differential weathering/pitting.
This amulet was professional cleaned in China by the previous owner.
Please see macro photos as they are part of the description. Thank You for looking!
This jade disk has an inscription of three, large ancient pictographic characters pecked and incised on both the front (obverse) and back (reverse) sides of the Bi
.
There are an additional 60+ pictographs next to the larger characters mentioned above, including the gifts to the ancestors of sacrificed animals and a fierce, fire-breathing Dragon, who is calling out to the Heavens and the Ancestors that the prayers for the departed be heard!  AMAZING!!
More details below.
DETAILS
This ceremonial Jade Disk, called a “
Bi
” in Chinese and pronounced “Bee,” is circular in shape and dates approximately to the Hongshan Culture of ancient China.  It has a period correct, center hole that is classified as a “bi-conical bore hole” that measures .82” (21mm) in diameter and three, large pictographic characters on each side, plus an estimated 60+ other smaller characters. (S
ee below for details
)
It measures approximately 2.58” (65 mm) in diameter x .60” (15 mm) thick and weighs 3.1 oz (88gr) of highly-prized, old Nephrite Jade that has turned black from the iron in the soil.
The center hole is classified as a “bi-conical bore hole” that measures .81” (21mm) in diameter. The black nephrite jade disk shows minor differential weathering from its burial in damp soil for thousands of years.
Ancient Chinese astronomers carefully charted the Heavens for clues to the future of life and events on Earth.  This ritual, jade disk is believed to have been a precious religious and/or ceremonial object that was an offering to the Ancestors of the deceased in hopes that they would guide the soul of the deceased into eternal life in Heaven.  The precious jade disk also allowed them to communicate their prayers to the Ancestors that would affect their daily lives.
Jade artifacts like this one were usually buried in royal or high-status tombs with the deceased, or presented as offerings to the Ancestors in above ground temples.
The ancient script "
Shu Ching
" says that Bi the instruments for observing the constellations and that Bi can be rotated when viewing the Heavens.
The central hole on the collared disk was seen as a window to the Heavens, Ancestors, and Gods (“
Shên
” in Chinese). This disk served as an oracle or portal to one’s Ancestors in Heaven, in Chinese “
Tian
.”  This amazing jade disc also features four Neolithic Chinese chacaters on both
sides of the amulet.
ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF CHARACTERS
NOTE:
William D. Houghton, the President of ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS, a State of Washington Licensed Business, assumes all responsibility for the information contained in this description and for the English translation and transcription of the ancient Chinese graphic characters.
Any translation errors are unintentional and strictly mine.
When this jade disk was professionally cleaned in China to remove some of the excessive earthen deposits, it exposed some 60+ ancient characters that were cut, incised, and pecked into the jade.
Each sides of the jade disk have three, large, repeating ancient Chinese pictographic characters and perhaps 60+ more smaller characters.  The three characters are not in columns or rows, but rather are shown a third of the way
around the center hole—the portal for the prayers to enter Heaven.
Moreover, the number ‘three’ has its origin in Confucianism and Taoism.
It stands for Heaven, Earth, and Human Beings; philosophically, ‘Tao’ means the amiableness among the above three elements.
In Chinese tradition, the phrase ‘
San Huang Wu Di
’ (Three Emperors and Five Sovereigns) generally refers to all emperors of ancient China.
Besides, much wider uses of this number can be found in Chinese culture, concerning proverbs, history, and common sense.
Here is my best expanded, English translation of these three characters on both sides and some of the estimated 60+ smaller characters/graphics:
·
The three large characters on the obverse side
that looks like square human eyes and a rectangle mouth, does in fact mean “the Ancestors who are looking down with benevolence from Heaven (
Tian
in Chinese) to accept the ritual offerings presented to them.”
{See Red highlights in photos # 3 & 4.}
In this case, these graphics in the white circles represent the gifts from the Sons on behalf of their father, in the hopes that the Ancestors will provide the soul of the deceased man safe passage to Heaven and enjoy eternal life there.
The soul will remain alive after death on Earth, and will transform into an immortal existence when he/she reaches Heaven.
{See photo # 3 & 4.}
·
On the reverse side of the Bi, there are three, identical characters (graphics) that are vertical and parallel lines, with the center line longer than the one on either side of it.
{See highlighted, White square in photo # 7.}
This is the ancient graphic for the
“Heavens (Tian) or the Cosmos or Universe—those things that hang down from the sky.
”
The long, center line symbolizes the Sun, while the shorter two lines represent the Moon and the Stars.
In addition, there are perhaps 60+ other much smaller pictographs that have been percussively pecked and incised on both side of the Bi and even on the collars and inner edges of the center hole.
Although many are undecipherable to me, here are a few that I can see clearly enough to translate:
·
The first pictograph is that of a large, Fire-Breathing Dragon that is deeply pecked into the jade Bi and now appears white with brown highlights {
See photo # 6. I’ve added a White Circle around this Dragon with Red fire coming out of his jaws.}
This Dragon clearly suggests that this Bi was made to honor a member of an imperial family, as no ordinary person would have dare to incise a jade amulet with the image of a Dragon, as the emperor/king was thought to be the “Dragon Son.”
Only craftsmen at the imperial jade workshops would have dared to do so for their emperor—any other person would have been immediately put to death!
·
A second, much smaller dragon can be found inside the {
Blue rectangle with Red text in photo # 10.}
·
A kneeling son making offerings, as the round-headed ancestors on the right watches him.
{See inside Red square in photo # 12.}
·
T
he Chinese character “
Jen
” also spelled “
Ren
” that means “Man.”
Again, this refers to the man who has died and buried in a tomb below the surface.
·
There are perhaps 20+ pictographs of the Sons and Grandsons sacrificing animals for the Ancestors in Heaven so that they would accept the soul of departed into Heaven.
The sons are pictured holding flint axes and knives.
{See Red & Blue highlighted area inside photo # 9.}
·
The Grandsons that are able to stand upright are figured beneath their Father holding up their hands in prayer.
·
The grandsons too young to stand upright are pictured standing beneath the legs of their Father, and appear as frog-like figures.
The image of a frog also represents the “continuity of generations.”
·
The symbol for a bronze offering.
·
A triangle graphic, which symbolizes sight and “all the community.”
·
An “
X
” with lines above and below it, which is the number 5.
·
The symbol of the right hand offering the smell of the sacrificed meat as it ascends towards the Ancestors.
·
The offering of ritual wine as it is poured only a bundle of dry grass that is then burned when the ceremony at the Temple is over so that the prayers can ascend with the smoke to the Ancestors in Heaven.
·
Several pictographs of the Ancestors diving from Heaven to accept the offerings.
·
Offerings of strings of money (cowrie shells) and jade to the Ancestors and for use by the departed in Heaven.
·
An offering of a banner with a libation of wine to thank the Ancestors for their visit to the Temple.
Taken in context, a rough, expanded translation of the
characters I can translate on this
Bi
could be as follows:
“In the Presence of our Ancestors, We the Sons and Grandsons Offer Our Prayers and Many Sacrifices of Animals, Wine, Bronze Vessels, Money, and this Jade Bi to Them, so that They Will Provide Safe Passage to Our Father and Welcome Him as He Journeys to the Heavenly Cosmos (Tian).
May Our Father Eternally Join His Many Ancestors in Tian.”
These Ancestor offerings are a clear and powerful reference to the spirit world of the departed souls and of the Ancestors.  Experts suggest that the Ancestors were looking with benevolence at the offering of this lovely jade disc and other sacrifices that were presented as offerings to honor them, so that they may help the soul of the departed into the next world. Evil Spirits were thought to lurk everywhere and prevent the souls of the departed from reaching
Tian
to be with their ancestors.
On the collars and inside walls of the center hole, there are at exceedingly small, Chinese characters that have been incised and pecked in low relief.
These characters were meant only for the eyes of the Ancestors, as human eyes were not worth to see them.
The Bi’s three characters on each side are significant.
The number “3” (in Chinese “
San
”) has always been considered lucky, as historically it represented “
Heaven, Earth, and Humanity.”
Here, the number ‘three’ means not only the exact number, but also ‘
many’
or “
all of them.
”
•
Confucius said:
‘If three people are walking together; at least one of them is good enough to be my teacher.’
•
A Chinese proverb goes that
“The wisdom of three ordinary people exceeds that of the wisest individual.”
This configuration represents the power of jade and of this jade cong to transport the soul of the departed safely from Earth to the Heavens and eternal life.
NOTE:
You are among the
first persons in the world
to read the translation of these ancient Chinese pictographs and graphic characters, as this is the first translation that has ever been done in any language in over 5,000 years since this amulet disc documented the sacrificial offerings made to the Ancestors in Heaven (
Tian
)!
NOTE:  This object is unconditionally guaranteed authentic. It has been legally imported to the United States., and is legal to sell and own under U.S. Statute Title 19, Chapter 14, Code 2611, Convention on Cultural Property.
ANCIENT CHINESE JADE
Jade offerings were highly prized by these early civilizations in China, and were thought to have positive energy to drive away evil spirits and bring good luck and fortune to all who wore a piece on their person—in life and in death.
Jade was also believed to be a portal or messenger that could carry prayers to Heaven and send messages to those on Earth from departed ancestors and Gods in the Heavenly Cosmos.
In ancient China, jade “
Yù
” was so revered that the character for jade “
玉
” is almost identical to the one for king or emperor “
王
” with just that tiny dot added on the lower right side of the character.
The dot represents a jewel and that is why jade was only meant for the upper-class and royal families.
Ancient Chinese jade offerings were always made of green nephrite and not the more modern jadeite.
In ancient times, jade was particularly difficult to work without metal tools, and had to be polished by means of abrasive powders, grinding and milling, a process that involved intense effort as well as a real expertise and a great deal of time to craft only with primitive hand tools.
As many of you know, Nephrite jade, also known as “soft jade” or “ancient Jade” in China, was used from China’s early Neolithic cultures in 8,000 BC to 1800 AD for carving all types of ritual and utilitarian items.
Nephrite, which is somewhat “softer” than the jadeite used by Neolithic Japanese and European cultures, was easier to cut, carve, polish, and drill than jadeite.
So, the ancient Chinese found that Nephrite Jade could be worked by using quartz or garnet sand, polished with bamboo or jade dust, and even drilled with bone drills that used a slurry made of jade dust and water as the abrasive.
Jade (called the “
Stone of Heaven
” by the Chinese) is priceless.
Testifying to how much the Chinese are fond of jade is this time-honored proverb: “
Gold may have a price, but jade is priceless.
” The value of gold can be determined by measuring its weight. Not jade. The value of a piece of jade is “assessed” by taking numerous factors into account. For example, the luster, purity and color, the sound it produces when struck, and when the jade piece was discovered or when and where a jade artifact was produced can affect a piece’s value.
ANCIENT CHINESE JADE DISKS “
BI
”
Courtesy of the British Museum, Rawson 1995.
This jade
Bi
disc is one of the major forms of ancient jade. Traditionally discs with central holes have been given a variety of names, depending on the proportion of the width of the ring to the diameter of the hole. The term
'Bi'
has been applied to wide discs with proportionately small central holes. If the hole is considerably larger in proportion to the stone or jade area, then the ring is generally known as
'yuan'
or
'huan'
.
Where large number of
Bi
discs are found, the excavator note that they tend to be rather coarse and were piled up in small stacks, while discs of good-quality were placed in prominent positions, often on the chest of the departed. Nevertheless, few discs seem to have been made of the exceptionally fine jade employed for the finest pendants and ornaments with incised designs or pictographic characters like this amazing example.
REFERENCES:
·
The Ancestral Landscape
, David N. Knightley, 2000
·
Chinese Characters,
Dr. L. Wieger, S.J.
·
The Great Bronze Age of China
:
An Exhibition from the People’s Republic of China
, edited by Wen Fong, 1980
·
Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC
·
Ancient Chinese Warfare
, Ralph D. Sawyer, Mei-chün Sawyer
·
Archaeology
, Archaeological Institute of America, Feb/March 2015
·
Shanghai Museum, China
·
Museum of Chinese History, Beijing, China
·
National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
·
Chinese Archaic Jades in the British Museum,
British Museum, Jenyns 1951
·
British Museum
·
Smithsonian Museum, Sackler & Freer Gallery, WDC
·
Human Sacrifice in History and Today
, Davies, Nigel
RESEARCH
I have carefully examined this ancient jade amulet and I GUARANTEE it to be original and authentic! I’ve looked under 10x magnification under both natural and Black Light and I can find no signs of any modern tool work or repairs. The hand tool marks left in the jade by the master stone artist who carved, shaped, and engrave this work of art appear to be consistent with those marks of other ancient jades I have examined.
Each object I sell is professionally researched, translated (if I can...(smile), and compared with similar objects in the collections of the finest museums in the world. I have been dealing in fine antiquities for over 45 years and although certainly not an expert in every field, I have been honored to appraise, buy, collect, and enjoy and recently sell some of the finest ancient art in the world. When in doubt, I have worked with dozens of subject matter experts to determine the condition and authenticity of numerous antiquities and antiques. This careful examination helps to insure you are buying quality items and helps to protect your investment. There are many modern reproductions or "fakes" on the market today, so be sure and buy only from experts in the field.
Please examine the macro photos taken indoors carefully, as they are part of the description.
The stand and ruler are not part of the auction, just included to give you a better perspective.
And please ask any questions before you buy.
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