Is Chinese jade culture a national study?

Count. Jade is an important part of China traditional culture. Jade culture with jade as the center carrier not only deeply influenced the ideas of ancient people in China, but also became an indispensable part of China culture.

Jade culture contains the patriotic national integrity of "Ning is a broken jade"; The unity and friendship fashion of "turning war into jade"; Selfless dedication of "moistening with warmth"; Integrity and integrity of "flaws don't cover up Yu"

brief introduction

hetian jade bracelet

Jade culture originated in the early Neolithic Age and continues to this day, which is a remarkable feature that distinguishes China culture from other civilizations in the world. China people regard jade as the crystallization of the essence of heaven and earth, which makes jade have unusual religious symbolic significance. Jade taken from nature and pondered in the palace is regarded as a symbol of rank and status and an important part of the so-called "ritual system" to maintain social ruling order. At the same time, the special role of jade in funeral also makes jade have incomparable mysterious religious significance. Because of the appearance and color of jade, people attach some natural characteristics of jade itself to people's moral quality, and praise it as the virtue that a so-called "gentleman" should have, which is a great creation of China people. Therefore, jade is a vivid embodiment of the oriental spirit and the material basis of the essence of China cultural tradition.

Chinese jade, as the "beauty in stone" selected by the ancestors of the Chinese nation, has moist and lustrous aesthetic feeling and practical function. In this long screening process, "the jade of Kunshan", namely "Hetian jade", has become recognized as "Baoyu" and "real jade".

China is a country that loves and worships jade. There are about 100 kinds of jade sources. In the history of China, the definition of genuine jade and non-genuine jade has already been reflected in the jade utilization system. The emperor was the highest stratum in ancient China, and Hetian jade became the real jade, which was also used by the emperor. Since then, after countless years, Hetian jade has entered the folk.

Hetian jade is the treasure of the Chinese nation and the "national stone" of China. Like a pearl, it shines brightly in the history and culture of China, and it is one of the important symbols of the moral spirit of the Chinese nation.

Hetian jade is closely related to the occurrence and development of Chinese civilization and has a deep origin. According to the latest research by archaeologists in China, it is pointed out that there is a jade age between the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age in China, which is the origin of Chinese civilization. As early as the Neolithic Age, the ancestors at the foot of Kunlun Mountain discovered Hetian jade, which was transported to the East and West as a treasure and a medium of friendship, forming the oldest transportation channel of Hetian jade in China, the predecessor of the Silk Road. Hetian jade plays an important role in the cultural and economic exchanges between the East and the West. Hetian jade has always been a symbol of friendship among all ethnic groups in China.

Hetian jade

Hetian jade, as historical evidence, eloquently proves that Xinjiang has been an inseparable part of China since ancient times.

From the Shang Dynasty, the new era of jade arts and crafts with Hetian jade as the main body boarded the jade altar of the Chinese nation, and the world-famous "Oriental Art" appeared, forming a magnificent jade history in China, which became an important part of the splendid culture of the Chinese nation, a brilliant achievement in the history of human art and a precious heritage in the treasure house of world culture and art.

For thousands of years, the Chinese nation has formed a national love for jade. "The love of jade can be said to be one of the cultural characteristics of China. For more than 3,000 years, the texture, shape and color of jade have inspired sculptors, painters and poets "(Joseph Needham). A hundred schools of thought contend to interpret Hetian jade with Confucianism and give it the connotation of "virtue". Therefore, the theory that jade has eleven virtues, nine virtues and five virtues has been widely spread and accepted by the whole society and has become the spiritual pillar of jade in China for a long time. This kind of virtue is better than jade, and jade is better than jade.

The idea combines jade and virtue; At the same time, jade became attached to the gentleman. The unique material consciousness, social consciousness and spiritual consciousness of jade are the ideological achievements of our Chinese nation and become the rich ideological and spiritual connotation of Chinese jade culture. Chinese jade culture has a long duration, rich content, wide range and far-reaching influence, which is incomparable to many other cultures. The glory of Chinese jade culture is no less than the Great Wall and the miracle of Terracotta Warriors and Horses in the Qin Dynasty. The achievements of jade culture far exceed those of silk culture, tea culture, porcelain culture and wine culture. Jade culture contains great national spirit and has patriotic national integrity of "Better to be a broken jade". The unity and friendship fashion of "turning war into jade"; Selfless dedication of "moistening with warmth"; Integrity and integrity of "yoga does not cover up flaws"; The pioneering spirit of "keen, honest and indomitable"

purpose

China ancient jade not only has a long history, but also has far-reaching influence. Jade is closely related to the emergence and development of China's history, politics, culture and art. It affects the concepts and customs of the Chinese nation from generation to generation, the laws and regulations of various dynasties in the history of China, and a large number of literati and their brilliant masterpieces. The production and accumulation of single-piece jade works in China and ancient times, the constantly improved jade making skills, and the ideas, cultures and systems related to jade in China, all these material and spiritual things constitute the unique jade culture in China, which has become an important branch in China's cultural treasure house and illuminated the whole world. To appreciate China ancient jade, we should not only appreciate its craft value, but also study its profound cultural connotation.

The Origin of Jade Articles in China

White jade pendant

According to the research of archaeologists and historians, China jade was born in the early Neolithic Age of primitive society, with a history of seven or eight thousand years. Textual research on unearthed jades shows that there are carvings of the "first village" (Huangshan site) in dushan jade, Nanyang, Henan Province around 7000 BC, Hemudu culture in Yuyao, Zhejiang Province around 4500 BC, and Yellow River Age in Hongshan Culture, Liaohe River basin between 8000 and 4000 years ago. Since then, jade and steel products have been used together for about 1000 years, and jade has been popular for about 3000 years. China was the first country to use jade in the world, and it has continued to this day.

Jade carving craft

It can be said that jade culture is mainly reflected in jade carving technology. There is an old saying: "Jade cannot be cut without cutting." . Any good piece of jade, after artificial carving, has been given new value and charm. Zhuo He said that the jade carving craft in China has a long history and is recognized by the world. As early as the primitive society, our ancestors used jade to make tools such as imaging trowels, spears, knives, axes and shovels and various jade carving decorations, such as the Neolithic site of Hemudu, Yuyao, Zhejiang Province, which was discovered in 1973. Among them, 28 pieces of jade materials and fluorite have been used to make pearls, tubes, beads and other decorations, which have a history of 7000 years. In the slave society, that is, the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, jade carving technology made new progress, with fine thinking and beautiful patterns, and new jade carving ornaments such as fish, turtles, birds, animal faces, rabbits and silkworms appeared. Common decorative patterns include black nightshade pattern, Panguo pattern, Yun Leiwen pattern, stolen Song pattern and checkered pattern. Especially the appearance of jade carving patterns at that time was a great leap in technical processing. The exquisite jade carving skills of the ancients fully reflected the jade culture.

develop

We know that culture is the sum of material wealth and spiritual wealth created by human beings in the process of social development. Chinese jade culture is a branch of Chinese national culture, and it is also the sum of material wealth and spiritual wealth with jade as the main content created by the ancient working people in China in the long-term social practice.

The emergence of Chinese jade culture has its historical inevitability, and its reasons are various. And different scholars may have different views from different angles. This paper puts forward some views on the causes of jade culture in order to communicate with appreciators.

the Stone Age

Compared with the Paleolithic jade, the Neolithic jade in China has been polished and punched, which not only retains its original practical value, but also has beautiful effects. If we say that picking natural stones and treating them with stones means that ancient humans have learned to make and use tools, then polishing and drilling means that the ancient ancestors of China have not only been able to make more advanced tools, but also produced ideological content in their thinking. Although it is still an extremely simple process from today's point of view, our ancestors have actually struggled for it for hundreds of thousands of years. From a historical point of view, this constitutes an epoch-making symbol.

We can imagine that when our ancestors patiently and meticulously polished those crystal clear "beautiful stones" and made them into meaningful shapes,

Guyu

And drill a small hole, even put on a small rope that you twist, put it around your neck or hang it on your chest. This is a wonderful and moving scene, which shows that the ancients pursued beauty and marked that people had faith and sustenance in their hearts. Jade is extremely beautiful, extremely hard and precious, which is naturally associated with the concepts of supreme ancestors, supreme natural forces and supreme ghosts and gods in the thoughts of ancient ancestors. Things like ancient amulets are produced by this natural process. In the process of social development since then, there have been many myths and legends closely related to jade, which shows that in the thinking and imagination of the ancients, a piece of beautiful jade has endless contact and influence on the world, ancestors, lightning and thunder, and all living things. This is indeed a very important leap. A large number of ancient written records and unearthed cultural relics have proved a historical fact: a piece of jade, a small ornament, the most primitive aesthetic consciousness, the earliest belief and piety have been constantly given new meanings and played new roles, and finally gave birth to the unique jade culture in China.

Jade totem

There was a stage called Jade Totem in the primitive society of China, which shows that the ancestors of the Chinese nation used jade carving products with certain meanings as national symbols, and there are indeed many records in historical documents. For example, Shao Hao, the first volume of Notes, records that when Shao Hao's mother Huang E was a girl, she wandered on a raft in the vast sea during the day, and one day she went to the West Sea.

In the barren mulberry field by the sea, there is a tree called Solitary Mulberry, which is as high as Chihiro. Eating the fruit of this tree will make you immortal. There, she met the prodigy "the son of Bai Di", that is, "the essence of Taibai". She and the boy are playing at sea on a raft. They used the trunk of osmanthus tree as a flagpole, tied Dong to the pole as a flag, carved jade into the shape of a pigeon and bird, and decorated it on the top of the flagpole, that is, "carved jade into a dove and placed it on the surface". Later, the oriole gave birth to Shao Hao, named "Poor Sang's" or "Phoenix Bird's". In addition, there are Yuan Bird, Jade Bird, Dan Bird, Zane Zhu, Ming Pigeon and Stork Pigeon, which is the best embodiment of Jade Bird as a totem.

Jade was the most widely used substance at that time and was regarded as the essence of heaven and earth, which was both beautiful and practical. Therefore, in ancient times, ancestors carved jade carvings into birds and animals as totem worship, and around the totem symbol, some primitive public activities, such as witchcraft etiquette activities including original music and original songs and dances, were also produced, which reflected that jade totem is an ancient culture and ideology-jade culture in its infancy.

Future heroes

There are many fairy tales about ancient heroes in China. These people have made great contributions to the development of primitive society in China. Many fairy tales also incorporate jade when describing these great figures, such as the legend of Emperor Yan.

Jade ornaments

At that time, there was "a jade with stone phosphorus, which was bright for several days and nights, so it was thrown into the water." In fact, this is a phosphorescent effect, but the ancients associated this natural phenomenon with the sage of Shennong in Yan Di. It seems that heaven and earth have been felt by sages of saints, so jade shows its spirit. Legend has it that Xuanyuan Huangdi first unified China and established a system of laws and regulations. China people are still proud to be descendants of the Chinese people. "Xuanyuan Huangdi" records that he once "ordered hundreds of princes to receive moral education, first listed Lanpu Guiyu, served on the table to burn the fragrance of Shen Yu, mixed treasures as crumbs, and used the glue of Shen Yu as mud to wipe the ground, respectively respecting the position of Huarong." This shows that the Guiyu system was established in the era of the Yellow Emperor. Tang Yao is a master of sages. It is said that he got a jade plate engraved with the shape of heaven and earth, which shows that Tang Yao's outstanding achievements are related to the influence of God's will and knowledge on his jade plate. Yu Xia's success in water control is due to his "snake god". These descriptions closely link the deification of jade with the heroes of lineage, and strongly show the fanatical religious sentiment of the ancients towards jade.

literature and art

Witchcraft is an important form of ancient human social activities, such as offering sacrifices to heaven and ancestors. Zhou Li Chun Guan Zombo III said, "If there is a drought in the country, wizards will dance." Prove that the general form of witchcraft activities is that wizards lead a group of people to sing, dance and knock on the door. However, historical records and analysis show that it was jade that was hit. The book Shangshu Shundian says that "stone-throwing strikes, all animals dance together", which describes the scene of ancient people's witchcraft activities, that is, hitting jade makes a rhythmic sound, and people imitate the movements of all animals and begin to dance enthusiastically. Jade was the best material for making musical instruments at that time, and the ancients used this characteristic as the standard to measure jade, and "its sound is soothing, and its wisdom can only be known from a distance." Primitive song and dance and witchcraft etiquette activities were still mixed together in primitive society, but in class society, they began to split into two parts and developed into two independent parts of the social superstructure. Primitive song and dance evolved into "music" and witchcraft etiquette evolved into "ceremony". One is literature and art, the other is administrative regulations. Jade became one of the beginnings of ancient culture in China from participating in singing and dancing and witchcraft etiquette activities.

contribution

Ancient politics

The emergence of China State and Jade Culture State is a very complicated social phenomenon, which depends on many factors. However, through the study of jade, it is obvious that jade played a very important role in the process of the emergence of China countries. Mainly reflected in the following aspects:

Jade promotes civilized society.

Jade promoted the emergence of civilized society, thus laying the foundation for the emergence of a country: historical knowledge tells us that the emergence of civilized society is the first before the formation of a country. Civilized society contains many phenomena and contents, such as the origin and application of characters, the formation of industrious classes specializing in governing the people, the emergence of craftsmen and workshops in handicrafts, the emergence of religions and wizards, and the creation and application of arts and crafts, decorative paintings and other works of art, etc. Compared with other cultural products, jade occupies a dominant position in many civilized phenomena, which is particularly eye-catching.

Jade consciousness evolved into national consciousness.

Some primitive consciousness of jade has gradually evolved into national consciousness: like any country, the national history of China has also experienced the evolution from blood clan organization to regional organization, from clan society to ancient city. From village society to village group society and then to national politics, this is the general trajectory of national production, in which the generation and formation of national consciousness is the key. Jade totem, as a symbol of a clan and a tribe, represents people's sense of clan, organization and regional organization at that time, which is bound to further develop and expand. The use of bronzes promoted this development process. With the appearance of jade and the further development of its pursuit, people have endowed jade with richer concepts and contents, which are no longer unique to a clan or a village. They have greatly transcended the boundaries of clan regions and become the belief and worship of people in a considerable range. For example, jade jade and jade cong in the jade era can be widely unearthed in various regions of China, so the consciousness at the beginning of the founding of the People's Republic of China appeared.

The political class represented by jade articles

The political value of ancient jade is embodied in ancient jade, which is the materialization of social hierarchy and the carrier of ancient moral and cultural concepts. The unearthed jade articles are basically large and medium-sized tombs with status and status. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, there were regulations on the use of "Six Sites", and six different kinds of jade articles were used by officials with different identities, namely "Wang Zhi Precious Turtle, Gong Zhihuan Turtle, Hou Zhixingui, Zhi Bo Palace Turtle, Purple Ancient Jade and Door Jade"; From the Qin dynasty, the emperor adopted the system of taking jade as the seal, which continued until the Qing dynasty; In the Tang Dynasty, the system of officials using jade was clearly stipulated, such as the jade belt system.

Jade promotes social development.

The nature of jade itself promoted the development of private ownership society: because of its rarity and rarity, jade became one of the few luxury goods at that time and a symbol of power, status and wealth. In order to get these things, it began to plunder and possess.

Jade culture

The more plunder and possession, the higher the status. This process gradually evolved, and the relationship between people was enslaved and enslaved, so the relationship between ruling and being ruled came into being.

Jade promoted the development of superstructure in ancient countries: the emergence of a country needs superstructure, which includes political theory, ideological and cultural consciousness, army and weapons. Jade plays an irreplaceable role in all aspects of superstructure, and jade ritual vessels, tools, ritual vessels and jade burial are all important contents.

In a word, jade has a close relationship with the emergence of ancient countries in China, mainly because of its inherent strong duality, that is, it is both a practical product and a work of art. When it is used as tools, utensils and wealth, it belongs to the economic category; When it is appreciated as a work of art, it can make people associate, daydream and even fantasize. As a result, all kinds of magical ideas about jade, including the idea of satisfying the good wishes of mankind, the idea of catering to the extravagant hopes of the ruling class, and various customs and regulations related to it, have emerged. Jade was produced much earlier than other handicrafts, and it was most easily absorbed and utilized by superstructure. Objectively, only it has the conditions to enter politics earlier. Under the historical conditions at that time, its output was large, its application fields were wide, its application forms were high, and its social theory was rich, which was really unparalleled. Therefore, when the civilizations of ancient society finally merged into a unified ideology (that is, national consciousness) in ancient areas, jade culture was once greatly integrated and played an important role in the founding practice of Chinese ancestors.

He Shibi, the Baoyu who made the gods cry.

In 2008, CCTV broadcast four sets of "Seeking Harmony", which linked the highest and most sacred harmony in Chinese jade culture with dushan jade, one of the four famous jade in China, and put it on a gorgeous crown. Dushan jade has once again become the focus of attention.

He Shibi may be dushan jade, Nanyang, Henan. First, Bian He, who found He Shibi, was from Chu, and the treasure he was looking for was in Chu. Dushan jade was developed and utilized by our ancestors more than 7,000 years ago. It is reasonable to find He Shibi from dushan jade. Second, at that time, the border was very tight, so it was impossible for Bian He to go all the way out for treasure hunting. As far as we know, there was no famous Baoyu in Chu except dushan jade at that time. Therefore, Bian He is most likely to get dushan jade; Thirdly, Bian He presented the jade articles found to the two kings of Chu successively without being recognized by the Jade Man, indicating that there was something with jade skin on the surface of the jade articles. The main mineral in dushan jade is plagioclase, which is easily weathered into kaolinite and becomes "Pu". Fourthly, what the predecessors said, "the face is green and the side color is white", is also reflected in the dushan jade. Dushan jade is often made of ribbons. If the front (vertical plane) is green, the side (horizontal plane) can appear green and white, and green and white is the first-class jade in dushan jade, thus solving the problem of "front green and white on the side". In addition, Bian He must be a master of jade knowledge, which shows that he is a person who often deals with jade to collect or cut jade. Nanyang City, especially zhenping county, has been one of the centers of jade processing since ancient times, and Bian He naturally knows jade. [ 1]?

Jade Culture and Political Theory

Jade played an important role in China's ancient national politics, which was actually the content of the national political theory at that time. To sum up, there are the following four aspects:

(1) Jade can represent the four sides of heaven and earth and emperors on earth, communicate the relationship between gods and people, and express the information and will of heaven. It is the theory that heaven, earth, universe and human beings are the masters of blessings. In ancient Chinese characters, the word "jade" is not a dot, but the same as the emperor's "king". When explaining the word "Wang" of the emperor in the paragraph of Shuo Wen Jie Zi, he thought that Wang meant "the world goes back". Dong Zhongshu also said: "Ancient writers, three paintings connected, are called kings. Third, heaven and earth are also people. And Wang Ye who participated in it. " The paragraph notes in Shuo Wen Jie Zi explain that the font of jade is "three jade coherent", that is, three horizontal lines and one vertical line symbolize that a silk thread runs through three beautiful jade pieces. Another word "yellow" is a combination of "white" and "jade".

It is no coincidence that the words "Wang" and "Yu" in ancient Chinese are the same. The connection between "Heaven and Earth" and "Wang Zhi" is mysterious and meaningful. There are many descriptions in many classic works, which prove that "three jade are connected" actually represents "heaven and earth are connected with people". Zhou Li's Big Bo records that jade is used as six kinds of utensils to honor the world. In essence, jade can represent the four sides of heaven and earth, through which people's wishes and consciousness can be communicated.

(2) The essence of heaven and earth: this theory explains the origin of jade with the concept of the essence of heaven and earth, and explains the essence and function of jade with the view of the opposition of yin and yang, so as to respect jade as the god of things and give it magical charm. The argument of this theory is widely found in various ancient documents. For example, Zheng Zhu quoted in Zhou: "Things are transformed by heaven and earth and are called jade. Gold and jade are transformed from heaven and earth into natural things, so they are called commodities. " In addition, White Tiger, Yi Tong and Hu Kao, Caiyuan Series and Yu Ji all have the same exposition.

Jade culture

(3) Moral Paradigm Theory: The content of this theory is to combine the inherent physical attributes of jade with the concepts of good and evil, honor and disgrace, beauty and ugliness in the society at that time, and make an anthropomorphic explanation as a standard for evaluating and judging people's behavior. This statement is also widely seen in various ancient documents. There is a typical interpretation of jade in Shuo Wen Jie Zi: "The beauty of stone has five virtues. Warm and loving; (This word is angle+thinking) From the outside, we can know that the righteousness is also right; Its sound is soothing, its design is far-listening, and its wisdom is also; Fearless and unyielding, the brave side is also; Sharp and honest, not arrogant and arrogant, with an arrogant (clean) side. "

(4) The theory of exorcising evil spirits and prolonging life: this theory holds that jade has supernatural power. Putting jade for people to wear or use can increase mental and psychological resistance, resist the invasion of evil spirits, sweep away sneaky evil spirits, and ensure the safety and auspiciousness of people and things. This statement is also recorded in many ancient documents in China. For example, Gao Xin's Notes says: "There are ghosts in the land of Danqiu, and there are black forks and postscript. If you can use the red manao as a jar and musical instrument, they are exquisite and light, but if China people are useful, you can't satisfy them with charm. " At the same time, I believe that jade has the function of making people live forever, and that eating and taking jade can achieve the goal of staying young forever. The most widely publicized and used concepts are probably Taoism and magic. Ge Hong of the Eastern Jin Dynasty wrote "Bao Pu Zi", in which the volume "Fairy Medicine" said: "Jade is also a fairy medicine, but it is rarely heard." He also said, "Those who serve gold will live as long as gold, and those who serve jade will live as long as jade." Wait a minute.