The designing of Jade in Zhou dynasty represents its ritual culture Research Paper

The designing of Jade in Zhou dynasty represents its ritual culture - Research Paper Example Jade, which the name is given to Chinese art, is a collection of ornamental stones used in the making of collection jeweler art, figure carving and other forms of sculptures. Some are made statue form while others being relief sculptures. Jae carvings are considered a valuable material in Goldsmith since the prehistoric age and still accounts for a good number of China’s hard stone carving. Chinese people believed that Jade represented purity, longevity, beauty and immortality, for these reasons its sculptures gave high regards and highly prized. Its glittery nature, translucent colors, and shades were also factors that made it important. During the era of Zhou Dynast art, production of Jade Cong, by and ritual artifacts was great (Ergil 50). And at the same a new series of scepters got into the artistic field denoting the varied ranks of nobility, and also acting as ceremonial buttons. Jade plugs were also useful for sealing purposes for the deceased body before burials. The craftsmen of this time imitated the works of their predecessors of the Shang but later introduced less systematic designs that featured zoomorphic motifs that then gave way to more abstract patterns. They introduced the use of iron tools and stronger abrasives giving carvers more sculptural options (Higham 28). The jade stone is white when in the pure state but may be either green, cream, yellow, brown or even gray due to the presence of impurities. The visual art of the feudal state that it contained of various materials and eventually when it later declined. This artwork was a continuation of those that had earlier occurred in the Shang dynasty. Evidence of these is especially visible in the use of bronze (Sun 10). The shaping of the crafts work deteriorated and only picked up in the Dong Zhou and the classical age of Confucius and Laozi when unique local traditions became apparent including a pictorial subject. There were a