Disk (bi 璧)

Perforated disk of the type pi [bi] 璧; of slate-colored material completely covered with a chalky coating stained in shades from cream to a dark reddish-tan on the obverse, lighter shades on reverse. (One chipped area on rim.)

Acquired with a box, now lost.

Maker(s)
Artist: Sanxingdui culture 三星堆 (ca. 2000-ca. 1000 BCE)
Historical period(s)
Late Neolithic period, ca. 2000-1000 BCE
Medium
Jade (serpentine)
Dimensions
Diam x D: 25.5 x 1.2 cm (10 1/16 x 7/16 in) Diam (hole): 6.3 cm (2 1/2 in)
Geography
China, Sichuan Province, but purportedly found at Luoyang, Henan province
Credit Line
Gift of Charles Lang Freer
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F1919.59
On View Location
Freer Gallery 19: Afterlife: Ancient Chinese Jades
Classification(s)
Ceremonial Object, Jade
Type

Ceremonial object: disk (bi)

Keywords
China, Late Neolithic period (ca. 5000 - ca. 1700 BCE)
Provenance

Possibly excavated in Lo-yang, Honan [1]

Duanfang (1861-1911), Peking [2]

To 1919
You Xiaoxi, Shanghai to 1919 [3]

1919
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from You Xiaoxi in New York in 1919 [4]

From 1920
Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [5]

Notes:

[1] According to Curatorial Remark 1 in the object record.

[2] See note 1.

[3] See Original Miscellaneous List, pg. 346, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.

[4] See note 3.

[5] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

Charles Lang Freer 1854-1919
Duanfang 1861-1911
You Xiaoxi (C.L. Freer source) late 19th-early 20th century

Description

Perforated disk of the type pi [bi] 璧; of slate-colored material completely covered with a chalky coating stained in shades from cream to a dark reddish-tan on the obverse, lighter shades on reverse. (One chipped area on rim.)

Acquired with a box, now lost.

Published References
  • J. Keith Wilson, Jingmin Zhang. Jades for Life and Death. .
  • You Xiaoxi. Description of antique Chinese paintings and brass wares as well as of porcelains of different ages, The Charles Lang Freer papers., 1919. p. 73, 77, No. 109.
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Jades for Life and Death
Google Cultural Institute
CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

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