Jades for Life and Death

Classification: Ceremonial Object

Historical period(s): Anyang period, Late Shang dynasty or Western Zhou dynasty, ca. 1100-ca. 1000 BCE

Object Date: ca. 1100-ca. 1000 BCE

Medium: Jade (nephrite)

Dimension(s): H x W x D: 6.9 x 2.4 x 0.4 cm (2 3/4 x 15/16 x 1/8 in)

Origin: China

Credit Line: Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

Collection: Freer Gallery of Art Collection

Accession Number: F1939.19

戈
晚商安陽時期或西周（公元前1100-1000年）
中國
軟玉
高2.4、寬6.9、厚0.4釐米
查爾斯·蘭·佛利爾基金捐購
器物編號: F1939.19

Provenance: As early as 1928
Reportedly discovered at archeological sites in Anyang, Honan Province, China [1]

?-1939
Zhang Naiji (1899-1948), Shanghai, China and New York, NY from at least February 1939 [2]

From 1939
Freer Gallery of Art, purchased through C. T. Loo & Company, New York from Zhang Naiji on April 17, 1939 [3]

Notes:

[1] According to information provided by Zhang Naiji to John E. Lodge at the time of acquisition, see J.E. Lodge's note, 1939, in object file. Zhang Naiji stated that he had obtained the jades, selected by the Freer Gallery from a group of about 350 pieces offered for sale (F1939.6-F1939.26 and F1939.28-F1939.33), at the places of their excavation. Lodge commented in his 1939 note: "I see no good reason to doubt [Zhang's] statement. I have, therefore, specified Shou Chou, or An-yang, or Lo-yang (Chin Ts'un) as the source of a piece in accordance with Mr. Chang's [Zhang's] designations given in my presence and recorded by me." Excavations at Anyang began in 1928.

[2] See note 1. See also "List of objects contemplated for purchase by Freer Gallery of Art," approved on February 1, 1939, Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List file, copy in object file. According to an annotation on the list, the purchase was made from C. T. Loo & Company, New York acting as agent for the owner and the payment was made on April 17, 1939. Zhang Naiji (also known as N.C. Chang) was a businessman, born to a prestigious family in Zhejiang that made their wealth in the silk and salt industries. He collected ancient Chinese art objects and Chinese coins. Zhang amassed his collection whilst living in Shanghai, before leaving for America in 1938. Zhang did not return to China until 1946. While the earliest documentation of Zhang's ownership of the jade dates to February 1939, we know that he acquired the objects in China before his departure.

[3] See "List of objects contemplated for purchase by Freer Gallery of Art," cited in note 2.

Previous owner(s): Zhang Naiji 張乃驥 (1899-1948)
C.T. Loo & Company (1914-1948)
C. T. Loo 盧芹齋 (1880-1957)

Description: Miniature blade of slightly translucent pinkish yellow nephrite (?), the two surfaces almost alike; the tang indicated; one hole for suspension.

Past label text: Ancient Chinese Jade, September 4, 1980–March 6, 1981; by Julia K. Murray (shown with F1939.21, F1939.20, F1919.17, F1941.3, F1919.13, and F1917.396).

The blade known as ge 戈, based on the shape of the metal dagger axe, is first found at the early Shang 商 site of Erlitou 二里頭, Henan 河南. A ge 戈 consists of a long blade beveled to a sharp edge on the sides, usually with a median crest; a projecting crosspiece with a perforation at the base of the blade; and a narrower butt, or tang, which may be plain or ribbed. Ge 戈 blades display great variations in size, from miniature to enormous. This variety of size is understandable in view of the fact that the jade blades were intended only for ceremonial and symbolic purposes, rather than for practical use. Small ge 戈 blades are occasionally mounted in bronze handles, usually adorned with inlaid turquoise.

Curatorial Remarks

1. Bought through C. T. Loo and Company, New York, from Chang Nai chi [Zhang Naiji] 張乃驥. For price, see Freer Gallery of Art Purchase List After 1920.

2. (John Ellerton Lodge, 1939) See Folder F1939.6, Paragraph 2.

3. (Undated Folder Sheet note) Compare Paul Pelliot, Jades Archaïques de Chine Appartenant a M. C. T. Loo [Paris et Bruxelles: G. van Oest, 1925], Pls. VIII, IX and XVI; Alfred Salmony, Carved Jade of Ancient China [Berkeley, CA: Gillick Press, 1938], Pls. VII: 4 and VIII: 1, 2, 3; but there is no indication that this blade was ever part of any other object. In connection with the exquisite quality of the work, compare F1917.396, F19 19.17, F1939.20, F1941.3.

4. (Undated Folder Sheet note) Sp. G. is 2.888.

5. (Julia K. Murray, 1980) Exhibition Ancient Chinese Jade label text; moved to label field.

6. (Julia K. Murray, 1982) For a general discussion of jade ko [ge] 戈, see Folder Sheet F1917.396.

Miniature ko [ge] 戈 like F1939.19 may have been used as pendants rather than as ceremonial implements (see
Folder Sheet F1979.33). The tang of F1939.19 is stepped, however, and it is possible that it was made to fit into a handle. Small ko [ge] 戈 of similar size and shape, with the drooping point, have been excavated from the late Shang 商 site at I tu [Yidu] 益都, Shangtung [Shandong] 山東 (Shandong sheng bowuguan 山東省博物館, "Shandong Yidu Sufutun diyihao nuli xunzangmu 山東益都蘇埠屯第一號奴隸殉葬墓," Wenwu 文物 1972.8, p. 30, fig. 38: 2) and the early Western Chou [Zhou] 周 site at Feng his [Fengxi] 灃西, Shensi [Shaanxi] 陝西 (Zhongguo kexueyuan kaogu yanjiusuo 中國科學院考古研究所, Fengxi fajue baogao 灃西發掘報告 [Beijing: Wenwu chubanshe, 1962], pl. 61.5).

7. (Stephen Allee per Keith Wilson, June 12, 2008) Changed Object name from "Blade" to "Jewelry (pendant)"; changed Title from "Miniature blade" to "Ge 戈 shaped pendant." Added Previous Owner to Constituents (Zhang Naiqi, 1897--1977). Added Dimensions per Christine Lee, from Jade Project Database.
8. (Jeffrey Smith per Keith Wilson, July 17, 2008) Jewelry added as secondary classification.

9. (Stephen Allee, March 23, 2009) Added designation "nephrite" to Medium as per Janet Douglas using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (January 8, 2009).

10. (Stephen Allee, June 2, 2009) Corrected name of Previous Owner from Zhang Naiqi to Zhang Naiji 張乃驥 and added Chinese characters, as well as his life dates (1899--1948) and a brief biography.

11. (Susan Kitsoulis per Keith Wilson, May 24, 2010) Changed Object name from "Jewelry (pendant)" to "Jewelry."
12. (Najiba Choudhury per Keith Wilson, January 9, 2020) Title changed from "Ge-shaped pendant" to "Dagger-axe (ge 戈)"; Period One changed from "Shang dynasty or Western Zhou dynasty" to "Late Shang dynasty or Western Zhou dynasty"; Date changed from "ca. 12th-11th century BCE" to "ca. 1100-ca. 1000 BCE"; Object name changed from "Jewelry" to "Ceremonial object"; added Chinese Caption by Jingmin Zhang.
13. (Jeffrey Smith per Keith Wilson, October 4, 2024) Classification changed from "Jewelry and Ornament" to "Ceremonial Object."

Published References

Paul Pelliot. Jades Archaiques de Chine appartenant a M.C.T. Loo. Paris and Brussels. pls. 8, 9, 16.
Alfred Salmony. Carved Jade of Ancient China. Berkeley, 1938. pl. 7, no. 4.
J. Keith Wilson, Jingmin Zhang. Jades for Life and Death. .

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Dagger-axe (ge 戈)

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