Old Chinese Jade Heaven/Immortality Falcon Amulet! 10+ Characters w/Translation

Description

ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS
Artifacts, Antiques & Fine Collectibles
Ancient Chinese Hongshan Culture Jade Falcon Amulet
Nephrite Jade “Messenger of Heaven” or “Heaven Bird”
English Translation of Chinese Characters
English Translation Provided
c. 4500 BC—2250 BC
A gentleman always carried a jade pendant, as a symbol of class and to remind him the virtues of a gentleman,
since those virtues were found in jade.
—Confucius
Summary
This remarkable Jade Falcon Amulet is made of Nephrite Jade and Chinese experts estimate it dates to the Late Hongshan Culture of ancient China (4700—2250 BC) or about 4,500 years ago!
This Jade "Heaven Bird" Falcon measures approximately 2.09” (53 mm) wide x 2.65” (66 mm) tall x .57” (17 mm) thick and weighs 3.3 oz. (94 gr.) of pure Nephrite Jade!  No major chips, cracks, repairs, or restorations. Only surface scratches, calcification, and differential weathering. Museum Quality!
The Nephrite Jade that was once a stunning green, has now aged from the minerals in the soil to a beautiful color with russet brown and very dark (almost black) highlights. In addition, there are several very small ancient Chinese characters that have been pecked, painted, and scratched into the jade.  I have translated the ones I can clearly see into English—see below.
The Jade Falcon’s beak, large eyes, and long wings seem to indicate it was modeled after a falcon.  Specifically, my research indicates that this amulet is likely based on the Amur Falcon, which was also known as the Eastern Red-Footed Falcon until recently.  The Amur Falcon breeds in Northern China in the same area as the Hongshan Culture lived and the falcons migrate in the winter to Southern Africa.  Ancient Chinese records from the Heian Dynasty in China indicate that falcons were presented as royal gifts in 2205 BC.
Some historians estimate that since about 8,000 years ago, the earliest civilizations in Northern China believed that birds were “Messenger from Heaven” that was sent by the Gods to fetch departed souls that were destined for immortality.  Chinese mythological and religious beliefs thought that a person’s soul, once freed from its Earthly body, traveled to Heaven in the form of a Heaven Bird.  The Amur Falcon’s winter migration pattern to South Africa would have made it appear to the ancient Chinese that the Falcons had left Earth and returned to the Heavens.  The Falcons immortality was reaffirmed when they appeared back in China in the Spring.
The Hongshan Culture
The Hongshan were temple builders and city builders who created some of the earliest nephrite jade carvings. Their sophisticated Jade carving techniques employed technologies that exceeded simple explanations. It has recently been discovered that the Hongshan possessed the knowledge of metallurgy and employed the use of copper and iron from meteorites as tools to work their jade masterpieces. Many of the Hongshan Jade artifacts are well persevered because the Hongshan culture utilized slab burial tombs and because of the dry arid climate of Inner Mongolia.
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 wood drills that used a slurry made of jade dust and water as the abrasive.
Based on artifact evidence and 30 years of study that the Hongshan employed advanced jade shaping and carving tools that may have been made from meteorite iron or even diamonds. One fascinating study is the evidence of high content iron found in black jades used for ritual objects by the early Hongshan. Many of these artifacts are magnetic and express the possibility that the Hongshan were aware of magnetic earth forces.
The back of the Jade Falcon is polished flat and smooth, with no feet, claws, or talons. This piece was meant to be laid perfectly flat against the chest.  It does have two drilled holes that both enter and exit on the reverse side of the amulet; they were used to attach the amulet with a silk cord around the neck.  These curved holes are classified as “ox-nose loop-holes” by archaeologists and are period correct.
During China’s Neolithic Period, Hongshan Jade ritual and tomb objects were created for a period of more than 2,000 years. Hongshan jades have been discovered in large quantities with over 52 different types of Jade objects in various shapes and forms.
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.
English Translation of Early Chinese Characters
As noted above, this lovely amulet contains dozens of tiny, ancient, Chinese pictographic characters that have been pecked, scratched, and painted on the jade the amulet.  We know that this amulet was made in the mid-Hongshan Culture (4700 BC—2250 BC) because of the characters on this amulet, as this Neolithic culture did not begin using this type of character instead of pictographs (also called graphics) until about 3,000 BC.  This style of writing called Shuowen Jiezi was used before the next type of Chinese characters were used to form a written language that we now call Seal Script or Ku’wen.  {Ref: Chinese Characters, Wieger, S.J., pg. 366.
The characters are normally written to offer sacrifice to the Ancestors and plead that they accept the soul of the departed into Heaven (Tien) for eternal life.  Here are some of the early Chinese characters that I have been able to translate into English:
·       The 3 parallel lines you see on the front side of the falcon at his feet are the ancient Chinese character "San" which represents the number of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity or three.  This character represents the power of jade and of the amulet to transport the soul of the departed safely from Earth to the Heavens and eternal life. {See photos # 1, 3-5}
·       The character right below San that looks like the letter “T” means superior or highest in Chinese.  This symbol is used to honor the Ancestors and Gods in Heaven (in Chinese Tien). {See photos # 1 & 12}
·       Each of the Falcon’s eyes have tiny pictographic characters pecked into the center of each eye.  This appears to have been a common practice during the Hongshan Culture, as I have seen several other jade artifacts where the eyes have served as a background for similar inscriptions and/or dedications. {See photos # 5 & 10}
·       Below the Falcon’s left eye are two exceedingly small characters pecked into the hard jade, one that looks like the written letter “r” and another character above it.  Shown inside the letter “r” is even a smaller character for Man (Jen in Chinese) that looks like an sideways “>”.  Together they form the compound Chinese character “Ch’u” and that literally means “to stop in a place.”  But taken in context with the Man character, it refers to the soul of the departed man who now eternally rests in their tomb. {See photos # 3-5}
·       To the right of “Ch’u” is the painted black character of the Son of the deceased that presents this Jade Falcon as an offering to the Ancestors on behalf of his father.  In addition, there are several other characters that were once painted on the Falcon, but that I am now unable to decipher.
·       On the reverse side of the Falcon there are two, parallel lines in the center of the amulet.  In Chinese this is the character “Erh” that means “two” and is the number of the Earth because it makes the pair with Heaven. (See photos # 2 & 8}
·       And there are several other characters that were once painted on the reverse side of the Falcon that I am unable to see clearly enough to decipher.
Jade was highly prized by these early civilizations in China and it was 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 Heaven.
Condition
As noted above, although this jade pendant is shows signs of differential weathering, old solid fissures, and it has a wonderful ancient patina.  It has not been repaired or restored, but has been partially cleaned in China by the previous owner to show the beauty of the jade and to reveal the characters.
The jade amulet has two, small, curved holes on the back side of the amulet that would have been used for suspension around the neck.  These holes are called Ox-Nose Holes and have been drilled by ancient hand tools at low RPM from both sides of the amulet--see macro photos.  These are period correct and have a wonderful layer of calcium and micro-crystalline jade inside the bore holes—just perfect. {See photo # 7}
Value
I have carefully examined this ancient jade amulet and I GUARANTEE it to be original and authentic or your money back! 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 engraved 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 is not part of the auction, just included to give you a better perspective.
And please ask any questions before you buy.
I GUARANTEE this amulet is ancient and authentic or your money back!
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THANKS!
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