Detail View: National Palace English: Chimera(bi-xie), Jade amulet in the shape of a winged beast

Work ID: 
M01C00015
Title: 
Chimera(bi-xie), Jade amulet in the shape of a winged beast
Creation Date: 
Eastern Han Dynasty
Start Year Date: 
A.D.25
End Year Date: 
A.D.220
Dynasty: 
15 Eastern Han (A.D.25~220)
Creation Place: 
China
Measurements: 
Length: 13.2 cm; Height: 9.3 cm
Material: 
Jade
Form: 
Bi xie (an amulet)
Type: 
Jades and Other Precious Stones
Repository: 
The National Palace Museum, Taipei
Description: 
Carved of greenish white jade, this bellowing jade "bixie" looks up, stretches it jaws, and moves forward. Although the two wings rest on the side, the beast awaits to discharge. The aura of this divine beast is characterized by the long beard covering its chest and the tail trailing on the ground. Because it has been handled for so long, the jade surface shows dark and light brown specks. This is a big Han jade "bixie" among extant examples. It has an elongated face that recalls a horse, which is not consistent with other conventionally short-faced "bixie" that appears like a tiger. This jade "bixie" was treasured by the Qianlong emperor. Its chest was inscribed with the emperor's poem. It mounts on a double-decker zitan wood stand, in which the upper decker is inscribed with four characters, "Qianlong Yuwan," meaning the toy of the Qianlong emperor, and the lower decker was inscribed with the identical poem as on the beast's chest.
ImageV ID: 
M01C00015AS002
Rights: 
Lee & Lee Communications