Animal figures played a critically important role in Neolithic times. Our distant ancestors admired animals for their unique abilities...

Why We Must Think for Ourselves Here’s the truth: we all have the ability to think—but most of the time, we don’t. Instead of thinking...

Words are a symbol of the stage of development of our civilization. They carried the same function as the designs carved into jade...

This elegant half-rounded jade piece is called a Huang (璜) —one of the most ancient jade forms in Chinese history. It first appeared in...

No other Neolithic culture produced as many jade pieces as Liangzhu—and no jade form represents Liangzhu more than the cong (琮) . It is...

If we consider the northeastern Hongshan culture as the father figure  of Chinese civilization, then the Liangzhu culture could be seen...

In ancient times, people deeply feared thunder. The powerful force of thunder was seen as a direct demonstration of the gods' and...

The Four Causes of Jadeology What is this jade made of? (Material Cause) Not just "nephrite" or "stone." Jade is born of deep...

The Hongshan culture is widely recognized for its jade animal figures. While their artisans also created plant motifs and depictions of...

Understanding Hongshan Culture Through Its Eyes The Dragon as a Cultural Icon The dragon is perhaps the most iconic symbol of Chinese...

In Episode 9, we explored a masterpiece of Hongshan culture—the falcon belt buckle of hunting people. That piece vividly captured the...

In the last episode, we explored the jade horseshoe , a lucky symbol of hunting culture  during the Hongshan period. Today, we will...

In the last episode, we examined a Hongshan jade armguard , a relatively common design from the Hongshan culture. This artifact...

In the last episode, we introduced jadeology, the study of jade and its cultural, historical, and material significance. Today, we’ll...

Jadeology is an 'ology,' a systematic study that explores the religious beliefs, political power, aesthetics, theology, rituals,...

In the last four episodes, we’ve explored the correct approach to understanding ancient jade. We’ve broken down the identification...

Ancient Hongshan jade artifact featuring distinct tool marks, showcasing skilled craftsmanship and historical significance. In the last...

In the last two episodes, we explored the material and stain/patina, both of which are essential aspects of identifying ancient jade...

In the previous episode, we explored stains on ancient jade, which add layers of color to the artwork, distinct from the jade's original...

This is a vast and fascinating topic. In the West, few scholars have explored the essential elements of stains and patinas on ancient...