In traditional Chinese culture, jade is a cultural carrier that integrates aesthetics and benevolence, and jade culture is also an important embodiment of the spirit of the Chinese nation. There is a cloud in the Book of Rites and Learning: "Jade is not thoughtful, it is not a tool." Jade symbolizes the quality of "humble gentleman" in traditional culture. The artistic beauty and cultural connotation of jade are inseparable from the carving of skilled craftsmen.
Jade carving can be traced back to the Neolithic period, and jade artifacts have been excavated in the remains of the Longshan culture and Liangzhu culture. The early jade form system is simple and simple. Most of the ornaments are symmetrical simple patterns, and the engraving techniques include yin line carving, yang line carving, bevel ridge line carving, ground reduction and transparent carving.
During the Shang and Zhou Dynasties, the jade carving process was qualitatively improved, and jade was used in large quantities as a ceremonial vessel and a necessity for sacrifice, and small ceremonial vessels such as pendant jade pendants, sacrificial jade bi, and official jade pendants appeared. During the Spring and Autumn Period, hundreds of sons competed, and the cultural connotation and extension of jade carving gradually took shape.
Qin Han pushed the art of jade carving to glory. At this time, jade carving was influenced by confucian culture and Fangshu thought, which made jade idealized and personified, and the "virtues" of jade were also popularized. At the same time, jade also carries the spiritual beliefs of the Han Dynasty, and the custom of "burying jade" is all the rage. The Han Dynasty jade carving forms are diverse, the common use of through carving techniques, yin line carving technology is more mature, the carving can be as fine as gossamer. For example, the Han Dynasty created the famous "Han Eight Knives" technique in the history of jade carving, and the craftsmanship applied to the abdomen, eyes and wings of the jade cicadas used in the burial of the Han Dynasty, the knife technique was rough and concise, which greatly influenced the jade carving techniques of later generations.
After experiencing the downturn during the Southern and Northern Dynasties of the Wei and Jin Dynasties, jade carving opened a new situation in the Tang Dynasty. With the development of secular culture in the Tang Dynasty, jade carving lacked the majestic characteristics of the pre-Han Dynasty. At this time, the jade carving has both practical and realistic characteristics, and the birds, animals, characters and life scenes are intertwined, making the jade carving at this time full of humanity. With the opening of the Silk Road, the jade in the western region continued to come east, and its culture also had an important impact on the Chinese jade carving style.
In the Song Dynasty, the development of Chinese jade carving entered another peak. A large number of jade workshops appeared in the folk, and the literati also loved jade. At this time, the jade is fresh and chic, giving people a natural and subtle beauty. The Song Dynasty jade carvings are rich and varied, mainly dragons and phoenixes, as well as birds, insects, flowers, birds and animals, figures, domestic animals and geometric patterns and other decorative patterns.
In addition to the secularization and elegance of the Song Dynasty, the jade carvings of the Yuan Dynasty also integrate the rugged and simple artistic characteristics of the Mongolian people. Various carving techniques in this period were more mature, and in addition to reliefs and circular carvings, multi-layered hollow carvings were also produced. In 1265, Kublai Khan, the ancestor of the Yuan Dynasty, ordered craftsmen to make the "Great Jade Sea of Dushan Mountain", which is a very large jade carving of the Yuan Dynasty, as a giant wine vessel, intended to reflect the strength of the Yuan Dynasty. The waves in the lower part of the jade carving adopt the carving technique of relief and yin line carving, and the upper part uses the yin line to carve out the churning whirlpool, surrounded by reliefs of dragons, deer, pigs, horses, rhinos and other animals, with different forms, meticulous and elegant, which shows that the jade carving craftsmanship was superb at that time.
Qing Dynasty jade carving "Jade Grasshopper Cabbage"
The Ming and Qing dynasties were a period of increasing integration of jade carving and folk culture, and jade carving themes were given various auspicious meanings at this time, and people usually combined images with allegories in a harmonious way. For example, "bat" through "fu", "bottle" through "flat", "fish" through "yu", etc., to symbolize people's sustenance for a better tomorrow. At this time, jade production integrates traditional crafts, and craftsmen from all walks of life show their skills and create high-quality products.
The prosperity of jade carving is inseparable from the development of craftsmanship, so how did the ancients process jade? The first is the selection of materials, and the quality of jade materials directly affects the artistic value of the work. Since the Western Han Dynasty, Chinese and foreign trade is convenient, the western jade gradually came to the east, the jade of the western region is warm and transparent, especially the Hotan jade is the most loved, and the arrival of the jade has also laid a solid foundation for the development of Chinese jade carving.
The "Book of Poetry, Wei Feng, Qi'ao" records the techniques used in jade carving: "If it is like cutting, it is like grinding." "Cutting, refining, polishing, grinding, that is, the initial decomposition, further trimming, carving and polishing of the jade." Jade carving belongs to "subtractive" carving, which needs to have a certain grasp of the whole, so the pondering of jade carving is first rough carving, and then the use of line carving, relief, hollowing, drilling, living ring, concealment, polishing and other techniques for fine carving. The final process, sanding, uses delicate and soft wood chips, gourd skin, cowhide and other materials, dipped in pearl mortar, and after repeated polishing, the jade has a gelatinous luster.
In The Chinese jade carving technique, there is also a unique feature, that is, "pretty color". Some jade materials often have some variety in them, but unfortunately, the craftsmen design based on the shape and color of the variegated parts. The Qing Dynasty jade carving "Jade Grasshopper Cabbage" uses this technique to carve. The roots of the cabbage are basically white, and the top of the cabbage and the shape of the grasshopper are expressed by the yellow and green colors of jade, creating the texture of the cabbage after being frosted and the scene when the green grasshopper eats the cabbage, which is very natural and interesting. The ancient Chinese people have continuously studied and innovated jade carving techniques for thousands of years, and to this day, the comprehensive use of these techniques can better highlight the beauty of jade.
Qing Dynasty "White Jade Tong Yin Lady Figure"
Because jade is rare and noble in ancient times, it is necessary to avoid the generation of discarded materials when creating. Craftsmen need to re-conceive and cleverly design "abandoned" materials to turn waste into treasure. Take the Qing Dynasty's "White Jade Tong Yin Lady Figure" as an example, it was originally a bowl scrap, but the craftsmen followed the shape, and the part that was taken away was designed into a half-hidden moon door shape, and two ladies stood looking at the door, one holding a ruyi, the other holding the object in both hands, skillfully combining the body movements of the characters with the waste, and the shape was unique. The change from a flat carved line to a three-dimensional perspective performance increased the depth of progress, and this jade was also deeply appreciated by the Qianlong Emperor.
Ancient China emphasized the gasification of yin and yang. From the perspective of the jade itself, its solid stone gives people a masculine beauty, but the color of the jade itself is warm and transparent, and it shows a feminine beauty, and how to perfectly combine the color and texture of the jade is a problem that jade carvers need to consider. The craftsmen strive to grasp the whole, try to retain the characteristics of the jade itself, and better reflect the texture and color of the jade, giving people a peaceful and quiet neutral beauty.
◎ This article was originally published in "Guangming Daily", the source network, the copyright of the picture and text belongs to the original author, if there is infringement, please contact to delete.