In the long tapestry of Chinese civilization, jade has always played a unique role. It is not merely an exquisite artwork but also a living fossil carrying the spirit of its era, social structure, and belief systems. When we traverse the mists of history back to the Shang and Zhou dynasties, we find that jade wares of that period underwent a profound transformation from symbols of theocracy to ritual objects of monarchy, containing numerous codes of early Chinese civilization.
The Shang Dynasty, an era full of mystery, saw its jade art reach unprecedented heights. The excavation of Fu Hao's tomb in Yinxu was undoubtedly key to unveiling Shang Dynasty jade wares. The 755 jade artifacts unearthed from the tomb, diverse in type and varied in form, ranging from ritual vessels and ceremonial weapons to tools and ornaments, all demonstrate the Shang people's obsession with jade and their superb carving skills. Among them, vivid and divine animal jade carvings, such as jade dragons, jade phoenixes, jade tigers, and human-faced jade ornaments, all reveal strong shamanistic and primitive religious overtones. Shang Dynasty jade wares were often closely linked to sacrificial rituals and divination activities, regarded as mediums for communicating with heaven and earth and revering deities. For instance, jade ge (dagger-axes) and yue (axes) with ferocious beast-face patterns were not only symbols of military power but also endowed with mysterious powers to ward off evil and deter ghosts and spirits. Their existence confirms the Shang Dynasty's social characteristic of "governing by divine right," where jade wares were material carriers of divine supremacy, instruments for shamans and kings to communicate with deities.
However, the wheel of history rolled on, and the Zhou Dynasty overthrew the Shang, establishing a new dynasty. The Zhou people inherited the Shang's jade carving techniques but profoundly transformed the function and cultural connotations of jade wares. Duke of Zhou formulated rites and music, incorporating jade wares into a strict ritual system. At this time, jade wares were no longer merely mediums for communicating with deities but became the concretization of "li" (rites), tools for maintaining social hierarchy and demonstrating status. "The Rites of Zhou · Spring Official · Grand Master" explicitly records "using jade to make six vessels to worship heaven, earth, and the four directions," referring to the six types of jade artifacts: bi (disc), cong (tube), gui (tablet), zhang (tablet), hu (tiger-shaped pendant), and huang (arc-shaped pendant). Bi symbolized heaven; cong, earth; gui, the east; zhang, the south; hu, the west; and huang, the north. This strict regulation closely linked jade wares with heaven, earth, deities, and social hierarchy, leading jade wares from divine power to royal power, becoming an indispensable part of national political life.
In terms of form, Zhou Dynasty jade wares gradually shed the mysterious and eerie style of the Shang Dynasty, tending towards regularity and solemnity. Dragon and phoenix patterns remained popular, but their images gradually evolved into more majestic and symbolic totems. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the secularization trend of jade wares further strengthened, with the widespread custom of wearing jade. Gentlemen wore jade, comparing their virtues to jade, and jade wares were endowed with moral connotations such as benevolence, righteousness, wisdom, courage, and purity. Confucius said, "A gentleman compares his virtue to jade," associating the warmth, toughness, and purity of jade with the character of a gentleman. This concept of "gentleman wearing jade" profoundly influenced later jade culture.
Shang and Zhou Dynasty jade wares are witnesses to the maturation of Chinese civilization from primitiveness. From the divine worship of Shang jade wares to the ritualization and moralization of Zhou jade wares, we see a nation's contemplation and practice regarding the universe, society, and life. They are not only the crystallization of material civilization but also the carrier of spiritual civilization. Today, when we gaze at the Shang and Zhou jade wares in museums that have endured for thousands of years, they are not just cold artifacts but envoys that transcend time and space to converse with us, telling the story of that distant and glorious era, and the Chinese nation's pursuit of beauty, belief in order, and adherence to morality. They remind us that jade is not just a stone; it is a cultural symbol of the Chinese nation, a genetic code of civilization flowing in our blood, worthy of our eternal cherish and inheritance.