Warring States Jade Bi Disc Achieves New Heights: What's the Potential of the Ancient Jade Market?

Beijing, February 16, 2026 – At a highly anticipated auction held by Beijing Kuangshi, a "Late Warring States Period Celadon Jade Bi Disc with Grain Pattern" fetched a hammer price of RMB 3,108,933, significantly exceeding the lower end of its estimated range of RMB 1,909,077 to RMB 3,818,154. This demonstrates the strong appeal of top-tier ancient jade in the current art market.

This Warring States jade bi disc, cataloged as LOT 5364, became the highlight of the evening due to its exquisite craftsmanship, superior jade quality, and clear provenance. Its warm celadon jade, full grain carvings, and the natural patina formed over centuries all speak to its profound historical depth and artistic value. This transaction not only confirms the market's recognition of high-quality ancient jade but also provides an important reference for the future direction of the ancient jade market.

Market Analysis: Resilience and Opportunities in the Ancient Jade Sector

In recent years, the global art market has experienced some adjustments due to macroeconomic fluctuations. However, the ancient jade sector, especially rare, historically and culturally significant, and aesthetically pleasing masterpieces, has shown surprising resilience and growth potential. The successful sale of this Warring States jade bi disc is not an accident but the result of multiple converging factors:

  • Cultural Confidence and Collecting Boom: With China's economic rise and growing cultural confidence, more collectors are turning their attention to antique artworks that embody the profound heritage of Chinese civilization. As the "foremost ritual object," ancient jade's unique historical status and cultural connotations make it a focal point for collectors.


  • Scarcity and Irreplaceability: The Warring States period was a golden age for Chinese jade carving, with craftsmanship and artistic style reaching their zenith. The number of extant exquisite jade pieces from this period is limited, and each one embodies the wisdom and ingenuity of ancient artisans, making them irreplaceable. This scarcity is the fundamental reason for their continuous increase in value.


  • Aesthetic Value and Investment Attribute: Excellent ancient jade pieces are not only witnesses to history but also exquisite works of art. Their warm texture, fluid lines, and intricate patterns all endow them with unique aesthetic value. Simultaneously, against the backdrop of inflation expectations and diversified asset allocation, ancient jade, as a hard currency, is increasingly demonstrating its investment attributes.


  • Promotion by Professional Institutions: Professional auction houses like Beijing Kuangshi provide a platform for showcasing and trading ancient jade masterpieces through rigorous selection, detailed authentication, and professional promotion, effectively boosting collector confidence and market activity.


Challenges and Outlook

Despite the broad prospects of the ancient jade market, it also faces some challenges. For instance, high difficulty in authentication, rampant fakes, and asymmetric market information all demand higher levels of expertise and judgment from collectors. Furthermore, external factors such as macroeconomic conditions and changes in policies and regulations may also impact the market.

However, in the long run, with the improvement of collectors' knowledge, advancements in scientific authentication methods, and the refinement of industry standards, the healthy development of the ancient jade market will be the mainstream trend. We anticipate that in the coming years, high-quality ancient jade pieces with clear provenance and outstanding cultural value will continue to be sought after by the market, with their prices expected to rise steadily. Jade articles from important historical periods such as the Warring States and Han dynasties, in particular, will continue to be a focus of market attention due to their unique historical status and artistic achievements.

The successful auction of this Warring States celadon jade bi disc undoubtedly injected a strong shot in the arm for the ancient jade market. It is not just a successful transaction but also a reaffirmation of the value of excellent traditional Chinese culture. For collectors, it heralds an era full of opportunities; for the entire art market, it signifies the immeasurable potential of the ancient jade sector.