Jade Dragon in Xia Hou Ritual Vessels

Gui of Qinglong, Jade Gui in the form of Qinglong, is a god beast of the East, so it is used to worship the gods of the East. In Shuowen, "the top is laurel" refers to flaky jade with a sharp top and a flat bottom. Gui originated from the tool stone shovel and axe in the Neolithic Age, so many jade shovels and square-headed jade articles from the Neolithic Age to the Shang and Zhou Dynasties are named after Gui. The real standard pointed ghost first appeared in Shang Dynasty and prevailed in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. Yugui is an important ritual vessel in ancient times, which is widely used as a sacrificial vessel to mark the status of Ruiyu and swear to ancestors. The real jade hairpin was found in Shang Dynasty, and there are two forms, one is flat head with double hook strings, and the other is pointed flat head, which is similar to later generations. Before Shang Dynasty, it was not a real jade in a strict sense. This kind of long flat-headed jade is more common in Longshan culture, with mostly plain faces, a few lower ends decorated with yinxian chords, and exquisite ones engraved with animal faces. The pattern is carved with Sok Li, and there are obvious carving marks. Therefore, if Gui of Qinglong belongs to Xia Dynasty, it should not be Yu Gui according to strict definition.