{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/presentation/2/context.json","@type":"sc:Manifest","@id":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/gettysburg/iiif/91c26477-596f-4b32-8a77-421d9048bb5e/manifest","label":"gaa_bi-disc-with-rows-of-gu-ding-wen_b42","metadata":[{"label":"Identifier","value":"gaa_bi-disc-with-rows-of-gu-ding-wen_b42"},{"label":"Citation","value":"Object Name, Date Original (if known), GettDigital: Asian Art Collection, Special Collections / Musselman Library, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Access Date, Link to Item"},{"label":"Repository","value":"Special Collections and College Archives, Musselman Library, Gettysburg College"},{"label":"Inventory Number","value":"B42"},{"label":"Accessioning Note","value":"bought from the House of Jade."},{"label":"Part of","value":["Asian Art GettDigital Collection"]},{"label":"Provenance","value":"The Estate of Prof. Frank Kramer; purchased from the House of Jade, NYC"},{"label":"Genre","value":["Artifacts"]},{"label":"Object Location","value":"J.7"},{"label":"Date","value":"D:00 M:00 Y:1368 - D:00 M:00 Y:1644"},{"label":"Date Original","value":"1368-1644 CE (or earlier)"},{"label":"Era","value":["Attributed to the Ming dynasty"]},{"label":"Measurement","value":"Outer diameter: 17.9 cm; Inner diameter: 3.4 cm; Thickness: 0.7 cm; Original wood stand"},{"label":"Medium","value":["Jade"]},{"label":"Country of Origin","value":["China"]},{"label":"Description","value":"Discs of large diameter with relatively small holes are regarded as the quintessential ancient Chinese jade and traditionally categorized as bi.* As described in Eastern Zhou and Han ritual texts, especially the Zhou li, the bi was considered a suitable offering to Heaven. In the spring and autumn period (c. 722-481 B.C.), it was offered as a gift or sacrifice. Many variations of the disc type existed concurrently.** Whatever the name, large discs were not burial items; they were rare and considered to be too valuable to bury. However, probably during the second half of the Eastern Zhou and the state of Chu (c. 5th century B.C.), the function of the bi significantly shifted as they appeared more frequently in tombs. They were used in the mortuary ritual to protect the body of the dead. In the Han period tombs (206 B.C.-220A.D.), bi discs were found in great numbers. They were placed on the bodies of the aristocrats, with the belief that they could protect them. Both side surfaces of this large and light green bi disc are smooth and neatly carved with regular criss-cross patterns of small gu ding wen (raised grain bumps) that reflect the light evenly. The grain bump design, commonly found on jade objects of the Warring States Period (480-221 BC) and Han dynasty (206-220 AD), is symbolic of life because the grain is recognized as the principal food in China. This bi has two typical narrow ridges of same size (0.5 cm), one around the circumference and the other at the central hole. A Stone of Heaven, Jade occupies a perpetual and exceptional place in the history of China and in Chinese culture. Valued for its discernible qualities of toughness, textures, sensuous qualities, and attractive colors, it has been considered an emblem of Immortality, a metaphor for human virtue, and an expression of spiritual and earthly powers. Originally this large and light green bi disc was dated to circa. 200 AD, or the Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD). However, it is actually a later product, although it appears to have a similar size and design to those found at that time. As a matter of fact, all Han (both Western and Eastern Han) bi discs are made of the Hetian jade from the Xinjiang Province, most commonly white Hetian jade and green Hetian jade. The Hetian jade is a kind of precious stone with a hardness of 6.0-6.5 degrees. It is considered the highest grade of jade because of its fine quality, pure texture and luster of mutton tallow. Evidently, this jade piece is not made of the Hetian jade as it contains a considerable number of impurities and it is not glossy. Further, the brownish discoloration on it seems to be rendered intentionally rather than naturally due to long-term burial. Moreover, the raised grain bumps lack a refined, lustrous and transparent quality which is characteristic of the Han style. * In her book Chinese Jade: from the Neolithic to the Qing, Jessica Rawson mentions the debatable definition of the bi whether it is correct to treat only the larger discs, decorated or undecorated, as bi, and the smaller rings as ornaments and pendants. ** Based on their dimensions, she proposes these two general categories: 1. Discs of the types usually called bi and larger rings will be considered as discs 2. Smaller rings are included with pendants. Based on the decorations, Rawson distinguishes three different designs of the bi: 1. Rings and discs ornamented with versions of the spirals typical of Later Eastern Zhou, with relief spirals and scrolls supplemented by hexagonal projections. 2. Discs of dark green jade, bordered with animal faces and adorned with hexagonal relief across the main surfaces, evolved from the sequences of spiral patterns and borders of animal faces with intertwined limbs. 3. Discs in which features of bi and pendants are combined with openwork dragons arising out of their sides, probably influenced by openwork ornaments. Sometimes they include characters such as talismans or emblems for particular events (pp247-251)."},{"label":"Title","value":"Bi disc with rows of gu ding wen"},{"label":"Rights","value":"Materials available through GettDigital encompass a wide range of works, many of which are in the public domain. However, some items may still be protected by copyright or other intellectual property rights. Users are responsible for determining the copyright status of materials and ensuring compliance with all applicable laws when reproducing or publishing these works. Items in our GettDigital Collections are for educational use. For assistance in understanding rights, obtaining permissions, or requesting files for publication or research purposes, please contact us at <a href=\"www.gettysburg.edu/special-collections/ask-an-archivist\">www.gettysburg.edu/special-collections/ask-an-archivist</a>"},{"label":"Reference URL","value":"http://cdm16274.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p4016coll6/id/210"}],"description":"Bi disc with rows of gu ding wen","sequences":[{"@type":"sc:Sequence","canvases":[{"@id":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/gettysburg/iiif/91c26477-596f-4b32-8a77-421d9048bb5e/canvas/_1","@type":"sc:Canvas","label":"Bi disc with rows of gu ding wen","height":768,"width":512,"images":[{"@type":"oa:Annotation","motivation":"sc:painting","resource":{"@id":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/gettysburg/iiif/91c26477-596f-4b32-8a77-421d9048bb5e/full/full/0/default.jpg","@type":"dctypes:Image","format":"image/jpeg","service":{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/image/2/context.json","@id":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/gettysburg/iiif/91c26477-596f-4b32-8a77-421d9048bb5e","profile":"http://iiif.io/api/image/2/level2.json","tiles":[{"width":512,"scaleFactors":[1,2]}]},"height":768,"width":512},"on":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/gettysburg/iiif/91c26477-596f-4b32-8a77-421d9048bb5e/canvas/_1","metadata":[]}],"thumbnail":{"@id":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/gettysburg/iiif/91c26477-596f-4b32-8a77-421d9048bb5e/full/500,500/0/default.jpg","@type":"dctypes:Image","height":500,"width":500}}]}],"thumbnail":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/gettysburg/iiif/91c26477-596f-4b32-8a77-421d9048bb5e/full/500,500/0/default.jpg","logo":"https://iiif.quartexcollections.com/gettysburg/iiif/logo"}