Object: Straight chisel (gui圭) with face and bird F1915.87

Classification: Ceremonial Object

Maker(s): Artist: Longshan culture 龍山 (ca. 3000-ca. 1700 BCE)

Historical period(s): Late Neolithic period, ca. 3000-ca. 1700 BCE

Object Date: ca. 3000-ca. 1700 BCE

Medium: Jade (nephrite)

Dimension(s): H x W x D: 18.3 x 3.4 x 0.8 cm (7 3/16 x 1 5/16 x 5/16 in)

Origin: China

Credit Line: Gift of Charles Lang Freer

Collection: Freer Gallery of Art Collection

Accession Number: F1915.87

: 人面及禽鳥刻紋圭
新石器時代晚期龍山文化（公元前3000–1700年）
中國
軟玉
高18.3、寬3.4、厚0.8釐米
查爾斯·蘭·佛利爾贈送
器物編號：F1915.87

Provenance: To 1915
Huang Zhonghui (circa 1870- after 1923), to 1915 [1]

From 1915 to 1919
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from Huang Zhonghui, in New York, in 1915 [2]

From 1920
Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [3]

Notes:

[1] See Original Miscellaneous List, S.I. 658, pg. 158, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives. See also, Curatorial Remarks.

[2] See note 1.

[3] 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): Huang Zhonghui 黃中慧 (C.L. Freer source) (ca. 1870-after 1923)
Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)

Description: Ceremonial implement of the type kuei [gui 圭]; short narrow form with beveled end and perforated handle; mottled dark olive brown, reddish brown, olive green, and orange; decoration: in sensible relief and channeled, a demon head on one side, a spread eagle on reverse, triple grooves across handle; dull luster.

Past label text: 1. Ancient Chinese Jade, September 4, 1980–March 6, 1981; by Julia K. Murray (additional jades organized by types shown in same case)

Based on a Neolithic stone tool whose blade is sharpened at the top, early jade chisels were ceremonial rather than utilitarian. The shape was retained in the jade repertoire in the Shang 商 and Chou [Zhou] 周 periods. The simple, elegant shape of a chisel is subtly embellished by smoothly ground edges, which are shown to advantage by the lustrous polish of the entire surface.

2. Studies in Connoisseurship: 1923–1983, September 23, 1983–March 1, 1984; by Julia K. Murray (additional jades organized by types shown in same case)

Based on a Neolithic stone tool, whose blade is sharpened at the top, early jade chisels were ceremonial rather than utilitarian. The simple, elegant shape of a chisel is subtly embellished by the smoothly ground edges, which are shown to advantage by the lustrous polish of the entire surface. The motifs carved in low relief on each side of the chisel include a demonic face and a striding bird.

3. Ancient Chinese Art, May 9, 1993–May 18, 1998; by Jenny F. So (shown with F1918.1, F1939.54, F1953.9)
Ritual blade
China, Longshan 龍山 culture
Neolithic period or Shang 商 dynasty, ca. 2000–1500 BCE
Jade (nephrite)

This object has often been linked with Neolithic stone chisels. Recently, scholars have suggested the possibility that it was a ritual healing tool related to massage stones—smooth stones that were heated and placed on tired muscles. A low relief image of a human face adorns the front, and an eagle with spread wings decorates the back.

4. Liangzhu 良渚 and its Legacy, November 4, 2010–January 3, 2016; by Keith Wilson (shown with F1953.9 and 1939.54)
Ceremonial chisel with face and bird
China, Longshan 龍山 culture, ca. 2000–1700 BCE
Jade (nephrite)

These three late Neolithic jades (F1915.87, F1953.9, F1939.54) continue the Liangzhu 良渚 practice of distinguishing special objects by decorating them with masks that sometimes include human features. Unlike earlier examples, however, the motifs on the chisel (F1915.87) and appliqué (F1939.54) are executed in very fine relief lines that define contours as well as interior details. This decorative approach required extraordinary control over the abrasion process. Equally rare objects have been found from Shandong 山東 to Hubei 湖北 provinces, suggesting active trade and cultural exchange occurred along China’s rivers during the second millennium BCE.

Prolonged handling or aggressive cleaning long ago probably wore away the fine thread relief decoration of a human face on the front and a heraldic bird in profile on the reverse of this gui 圭. These motifs and their rendering link this chisel to the late phase of the Longshan 龍山 culture.

5. (Keith Wilson, "Afterlife: Ancient Chinese Jades," Gallery 19, Freer Gallery of Art, Smithsonian Institution, Oct. 14, 2017 to Apr 15, 2018)

Ceremonial chisel (gui) with face and bird
China, late Neolithic period, ca. 2500–1700 BCE
Longshan culture, ca. 2000–1700 BCE
Jade (nephrite)
Gift of Charles Lang Freer F1915.87

Behind the Mask
These three late Neolithic jades continue the Liangzhu practice of distinguishing special objects by decorating them with humanlike masks. Different from earlier examples, however, the motifs on the chisel (left) and appliqué (right) use delicate raised lines to define contours and interior details, such as eye sockets and nostrils. This decorative approach required extraordinary control over the abrasion process. Similar objects have been found hundreds of miles apart, from Shandong to Hubei provinces. This suggests China’s rivers were busy routes for cultural exchange during the second millennium BCE.

Curatorial Remarks

1. Bought from Hwang Chung huei [Huang Zhonghui] 黃中慧, New York. For price, see Original Miscellaneous List, p. 158. $2025.

2. (Undated Folder Sheet note) Original attribution: Chinese. "Ancient." See further, S.I. 658, Appendix VII and Envelope File.

3. (John Ellerton Lodge, 1927) Early Han 漢 (?)

4. (Archibald Gibson Wenley, 1943) Chou [Zhou] 周 dynasty. Type kuei [gui] 圭. See F1939.54 for comparison of head carved in slight relief.

5. (Undated Folder Sheet note) Sp. G. is 2.965. Nephrite.

6. (H. Elise Buckman, 1964) The Envelope File, which has now been destroyed, contained the following (no signature): The Ancient Man Phoenix Scepter of Jade

According to Tso Chuan [Zuo Zhuan] 左傳, the famous commentary of Spring and Autumn Annals by Confucius, this scepter was an emblem used by Emperor Shao hau [Shaohao] 少昊 (2594--2511 BCE), son of Huang ti [Huangdi] 黃帝, for recording great national achievements; it being carried by dukes as the most valuable piece of ceremonial article during their audience with the Emperor.

In ancient and medieval ages of China, the readers may recall that the dragon was not infrequently taken as a sign of luck. However, to adopt the system of calling different ministers of affairs with names of various types of birds, Emperor Shao hau [Shaohao] 少昊 has the distinction of being the only man. Tso Ch'iu Ming [Zuo Qiuming] 左丘明, author of the famous commentary of Spring and Autumn Annals, mentioned that the Emperor named his prime minister, the minister of heaven or astronomy, phoenix merely for the reason that a phoenix arrived at the capital on his coronation day.

As to the peculiar and ancient feature of the image on this scepter, it also bore certain resemblance to those of many famous characters in Chinese history. For instance, its large eyes correspond to those of Fu-hsi [Fuxi] 伏羲 (2852--2738 BCE); its narrow chin, to that of Huang ti [Huangdi] 黃帝 (2704--2595 BCE); its spaced teeth to those of Ti k'u [Diku] 帝嚳 (2432--2363 BCE); and its tiger nose and large ears, to those to Ta yu [Dayu] 大禹 (2205--2198 BCE). From the above it may be concluded that this man's figure is possibly a picture of Emperor Shao hau [Shaohao] 少昊 himself.

7. (Julia K. Murray, 1980) From Ancient Chinese Jade exhibition label: Attribution is changed from Western Chou [Zhou] 周 to Shang 商, ca. 1523--1027 BCE.

8. (Julia K. Murray, 1982) For a general discussion of chisel shaped jades, see Folder Sheet F1917.31. The motifs carved in very low relief on each side of chisel F1915.87 distinguish it from others in the Freer collection. The demonic face on one side resembles those found on two other jades in the collection, amulet F1953.9 and plaque F1939.54. This face motif is discussed in the articles by Dohrenwend and Wu Hung 巫鴻 (see Doris J. Dohrenwend, "Jade Demonic Images from Early China," Ars Orientalis 10 [1975], pp. 55--78, and Wu Hung 巫鴻, "I-tsu tsao-ch'i ti yu-shih tiao-k'e [Yizu zaoqi de yushi diaoke] 一組早期的玉石雕刻," Mei-shu yen-chiu [Meishu yanjiui] 美術研究 1979.1, pp. 64--70) and in Hayashi Minao 林巳奈夫, "Sen In shiki no gyokki bunka 先殷式の玉器文化 = Patterns on Pre Yin Jades," Museum 334 (1979), pp. 4--16. The standing bird on the other side of the chisel is similar to a motif that appears on a chisel in the Minneapolis Institute of Art (reproduced in a line drawing by Wu Hung 巫鴻, p. 70, fig. 26b; now in the Collection of Sir Joseph Hotung, see Jessica Rawson, Chinese Jade from the Neolithic to the Qing (London: British Museum Press, 1995), cat. 10:14.) and on another chisel in the National Palace Museum, Taiwan (http://theme.npm.edu.tw/selection/Article.aspx?sNo=04001020&lang=2, reproduced in line drawing by Hayashi, p. 7, fig. 9, right).

9. (Julia K. Murray, September 1983) Exhibition Studies in Connoisseurship 1923--1983 label text; moved to label field.

10. (Stephen Allee per Keith Wilson, March 31, 2008) On this date entered: Period One (Late Neolithic period), Date (ca. 2500--2000 BCE), Artist (Qijia 齊家 culture), Title, Object name, Geographical region (Northwest China); plus Dimensions per Christine Lee, from Jade Project Database.

11. (Stephen Allee, May 13, 2008) On this date, identification as "nephrite" entered as per Wen Guang 聞廣, June 1997, as determined by x ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy.

12. (Jeffrey Smith per Keith Wilson, July 17, 2008) Ceremonial Objects added as secondary classification.

13. (Susan Kitsoulis per Keith Wilson, April 2, 2010 ) Object name changed from "Ceremonial implement" to "Ceremonial object"; changed from "Qijia 齊家" to "Longshan 龍山" culture; date from "ca. 2500--2000 BCE" to "ca. 2200--1900 BCE"; deleted "Northwest" from geographic location.

14. (Susan Kitsoulis per Keith Wilson, December 2, 2010) Title changed from "Straight chisel (gui 圭)" to "Ceremonial chisel (gui 圭) with face and bird."

15. (J. Smith per Keith Wilson, 7/1/2015) Title changed back to "Straight chisel (gui) with face and bird from "Ceremonial chisel (gui) with face and bird." Description updated.

16. (Jeffrey Smth per Keith Wilson, 3/2/2016) Object date changed from ca. 2200-1900 BCE to dates of Longshan culture, ca. 3000-ca.1700 BCE.

Published References

Omura Seigai. Shina bijutsu-shi choso-hen [History of Chinese Bronzes and Sculpture]. 3 vols., Tokyo, 1915-1920. pl. 2, fig. 6.
Alfred Salmony. Carved Jade of Ancient China. Berkeley, 1938. pl. 31, no. 1.
Sueji Umehara. Shina kogyoku zuroku [Selected Specimens of Chinese Archaic Jade]. Kyoto, 1955. pl. 44.
J. Keith Wilson, Jingmin Zhang. Jades for Life and Death. .
Na Chih-liang. "玉器通史." Yu ch'i t'ung shih [A General Study of Chinese Jade]. Hong Kong, 1965. p. 2, fig. 3.
Wu Hung. Bird Motifs in Eastern Yi Art. vol. 16, no. 10 Hong Kong, October 1985. p. 38.
Minao Hayashi. In-kyo Fuhao-bo shutsudo no gyokki jakkan ni taisuru chushaku. no. 58 Tokyo, March 1986. p. 47.
Doris J. Dohrenwend. Jade Demonic Images from Early China. vol. 10 Washington and Ann Arbor, 1975. pp. 55-78, fig. 37a.
William Willetts. Foundations of Chinese Art from Neolithic Pottery to Modern Architecture. New York, 1965. p. 63.
Sherman Lee. Review of "The Freer's Studies in Connoisseurship". vol. 44, no. 1 New York, Spring 1984. pp. 69-70, fig. 10.
Meili Yang. Yuqi shang de yingwen zhuti (shang). no. 181 Taipei, 1998. p. 69, fig. 3.
Wu Hung. "一组早期的玉石雕刻." I'tsu tsao-ch'i ti yu-shig tiao-k'o [A Group of Early Jade and Stone Carvings]., 1979. p. 70, fig. 17.
Jenny F. So. Early Chinese Jades in the Harvard Art Museums. Cambridge, Massachusetts. p. 94, Cat. 7, Fig. 1.
Elizabeth Childs-Johnson, Fang Gu. Yuqi shidai: Meiguo bowuguan cang Zhongguo zaoqi yuqi [The Jade Age: Early Chinese Jades in American Museums]. Beijing, 2009. pp. 168-169.
Na Chih-liang. Yu ch'i tz'u t'ien [Dictionary of Chinese Jade]. Taipei, 1982. p. 187, fig. 1624.
Minao Hayashi. Chūgoku kogyokuki sōsetsu. Tokyo, 1999. p. 556, fig. 7: 100.

CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0): This image is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions). You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

Save this image | Terms of use

Straight chisel (gui圭) with face and bird

Related Objects

Related Media

Web Resources