Disk

Art Historical Context

This exquisite jade disk, known as a *bi*, hails from China's Han dynasty (206 B.–A.D. 220), a golden age of imperial expansion, Confucianism, and refined craftsmanship. Carved from nephrite jade—a material revered for its luminous translucence, durability, and symbolic ties to purity and immortality—the disk measures 5 inches in diameter. Its smooth, circular form with a central perforation is iconic, representing the heavens in ancient Chinese cosmology and often used in ritual ceremonies or as grave goods to connect the living with the divine. Han dynasty jade carvers mastered intricate te...