Jadeology Episode 14: Before the Myths: How Hongshan Shaped the Thunder God (雷神) Legend

In ancient times, people deeply feared thunder. The powerful force of thunder was seen as a direct demonstration of the gods' and heaven’s power. Different civilizations created their own depictions of the god of thunder. In China, thunder was especially feared and respected as a divine force.

The earliest recorded mention of the Thunder God appears in the Shanhaijing (山海經), a text said to have been compiled during the Warring States period (475–221 BC). According to these ancient writings, the Thunder God had a human head, a dragon's body, wings on his back, and a long, sharp jaw. Under the command of the supreme deity Di (帝), his duty was to punish humans who committed wrongdoings.

Some early jade carvings show figures with human-like heads, curved bodies, and tails that connect to crown-like headdresses. This raises a critical question: Where did the belief in the Thunder God originate?

Decades ago, a pair of jade ring ornaments with human-like heads and curled upward bodies were discovered in a Warring States tomb in Henan. Because of the tomb context, local scholars dated them to the Warring States period. However, Japanese scholar Hayashi Minao disagreed. Based on the design and craftsmanship, he believed they were much older—dating back to the Neolithic period. It’s not unusual for ancient tombs to contain older artifacts treasured as antiques. So, despite the time gap debate, it’s clear the Thunder God design existed as early as the Neolithic era.

I have also seen some extraordinary Longshan period jade carvings of Thunder Gods. But where is the true root of this design?

To answer that, I present this remarkable Hongshan jade artifact. It not only fills the missing piece of the Thunder God's origin but also reaffirms that Hongshan culture is the true root of Chinese civilization.

Let’s apply our Four-Point Check to understand this magnificent piece:

Material: The jade is a pale green with a yellow tone, containing black ant-like floating inclusions. It is a very hard jade, even harder than local Hongshan jade.

Stain and Patina: The deity wears a vivid orange-red crown. Look closely—this is not a stain but natural jade skin. The Hongshan craftsman skillfully used the jade’s natural skin color to create the red crown as an intentional accent. Previously, this technique was first identified in the Shang dynasty’s Fu Hao tomb, but growing Neolithic jade evidence shows it must be traced back even earlier to Hongshan culture.

Another detail: the wings on the back appear black-gray. At first glance, it looks like a stain, but it’s actually part of the jade material itself—black ant-like inclusions intentionally arranged by the artist to highlight the wing tips. This thoughtful use of natural material shows the incredible cleverness of Hongshan artisans.

The piece has a thick, glossy, glass-like patina throughout, indicating a high level of polishing on very hard jade.

Design: The figure has a human-like head with a red crown, large triangular eyes (a signature Hongshan feature), a wide forehead, and a strong, pointed jaw. The ears extend upward, enhancing the power of the facial structure. The long body curves inward, with the paws (indicated by separated circular designs) held against the chest. In ancient times, dragons were often depicted with only front legs, unlike the four-legged dragons of later eras. On its back is a cicada—featuring two large raised eyes and delicately incised wing lines—adding lively details to the design.

Craftsmanship: A hole is drilled through both sides for suspension. The combination of a human-like head, a dragon body, and a cicada on the back shows vivid imagination and creativity. It matches the Thunder God description in ancient Warring States texts beautifully.

This jade artifact fills the missing puzzle of the Thunder God’s origin—it was born from the Hongshan culture. Once again, we confirm that Hongshan was the true root of Chinese civilization, providing not just material culture but original mythological designs.

If Hongshan culture truly marked the beginning of Chinese civilization—and if hunting culture was an undeniable part of Hongshan life—why, starting from the Qin dynasty, were we taught that hunting civilizations were "inferior" to agricultural ones? Why did we begin to categorize part of our own heritage as "foreign invaders"?

Stay tuned as we continue uncovering the untold truths of our history.