Disc Bi
China
Green marbled stone, probably jade
Diameter: 4.5 cm
Thickness: 1.5 cm
(on a bronze base)

Important flat disc made of polished green stone, pierced circularly in its center.

The earliest jade bi discs date back to the Liangzhu culture (4300 to 2400 BC) – a period during which examples have been found at burial sites. Since then, they have continued to evolve, acquiring numerous variations and adorned with different ornaments and engraved motifs.

Although their original function remains unknown to this day, the bi discs likely possess a protective power – reserved, however, for individuals of high rank in society.
Furthermore, the book Rites of Zhou – compiled under the Han dynasty, which describes the various social forms and ceremonial rites of the Zhou dynasty – indicates that bi relates to worship and sacrifices to heaven.

Text and photos © FCP CORIDON

Ref.: 6607