Jade articles in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period occupy an extremely important position in the development history of jade articles in China. It changed the primitive style of Shang and Zhou dynasties, created a large number of new artistic treasures with shapes, patterns and craft styles, and wrote a brilliant page for Chinese jade culture. However, for a long time, in the field of identification and research of ancient jade, people have always been used to collectively refer to the jade articles in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period as Spring and Autumn Period, and combine their artistic styles into the jade works in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. In recent years, with the deepening of archaeological work and the continuous enrichment of new materials, we have a further understanding and understanding of jade articles in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. Through careful observation and comparison, it is not difficult to find that there are some differences in craftsmanship and decoration during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.

First, the spring and autumn jade:

According to archaeological data, jade articles in the Spring and Autumn Period are the continuation and development of jade articles in the Western Zhou Dynasty. In the early days, it was good to depict patterns with double negative lines, but in terms of decoration, the carving of single or interwoven dragon patterns on certain shapes was further strengthened in the late Western Zhou Dynasty, so that many tiny and deformed dragon patterns often appeared in the main shape, with dense layout and little space. For example, the jade tiger unearthed from the tomb of Mr. and Mrs. Huang in Guangshan County, Henan Province has a flat tiger shape, low back arch, bent limbs and curly tail. Although the tiger looks dull and has no strong sense of movement, the decoration on the tiger is particularly eye-catching. In addition to several geometric patterns on the abdomen, cheeks and limbs, it is covered with deformed dragon patterns, which are staggered up and down and echo left and right. This unique double-yinxian craft and decorative technique of "tangible in shape" are very popular in jade articles in the early Spring and Autumn Period, which can be described as a major feature of jade articles in the early Spring and Autumn Period.

After the mid-Spring and Autumn Period, this dense intaglio decorative line gradually became sparse, and it was mostly carved with a wider oblique knife. In the later period, the line carving technology gradually decreased and was replaced by the prevalence of bas-relief technology hidden underground. For example, the jade sulfide and jade unearthed from the tomb of Jinqing Zhao in Jinsheng Village, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province are not only exquisite in craftsmanship and exquisite in polishing, but also have a profound three-dimensional effect and a certain mystery due to the application of bas-relief techniques and abstract and simplified dragon patterns.

It is worth noting that this dense and abstract dragon decoration, which was popular in the Spring and Autumn Period and parasitic in modeling, gradually disappeared with the changes of people's aesthetic consciousness and cultural concept. As Mr. Wu Tanghai said in "Understanding Ancient Jade", the eyes with bold dragon patterns that prevailed from the end of the Spring and Autumn Period to the beginning of the Warring States Period degenerated into cloud valleys and gradually developed into neat geometric patterns such as valley patterns, pu patterns and chest nail patterns. We will not discuss here whether the moire and valley patterns common in jade articles in the Warring States Period evolved from the dragon patterns in the Spring and Autumn Period, but we can say for sure that the dense and tiny dragon patterns prevailing in jade articles in the Spring and Autumn Period could not have appeared in the Warring States Period (especially after the middle of the Warring States Period). Although there are still similar jades unearthed in the tombs of the Warring States period, the author believes that they should be relics from the Spring and Autumn Period (or the early Warring States period). Because art is the reflection and abbreviation of social reality in a certain period, with the development of society and the change of people's aesthetic taste and consciousness, its style will certainly be innovated. In other words, different social fashions will inevitably produce different artistic styles. Jade is like this, so are other handicrafts.

Second, the Warring States jade:

Due to the social changes, the development of productive forces and the various moral and cultural connotations given to jade by Confucianism in the Warring States period, it was fashionable for princes and nobles to wear jade in the Warring States period. From the current archaeological data, it can be seen that the jade articles in the Warring States period are richer than those in the Spring and Autumn Period, which broke through the decorative jade and buried jade that were mostly small pieces in the Spring and Autumn Period, and large-scale jade sulfur, jade walls, dragon ornaments and hooks appeared. The craft is more refined and exquisite, and it is famous for its empty buildings, bas-relief techniques, ingenious ideas and unique shapes. Decorations are more varied, including not only geometric patterns such as valley patterns and moire patterns, but also snail glass patterns, mosaic patterns and patterns depicting natural life. At the same time, the carving of the god beast in the jade works of the Warring States period is full of a tense momentum, which greatly enhances the internal spiritual rhythm and fully shows the Lingyun spirit of the warring States governors eager for hegemony.

In the early Warring States period, jade articles were represented by those unearthed from the ancient city of Lu in Shandong and the tomb of Zeng Houyi in Hubei. Its craft is more complicated than before, the shape is gradually stretched, and the body angles are sharp and tidy, especially the image of dragons and phoenixes looking back and holding their chests has begun to show a certain sense of movement. Decorative patterns are mostly dense hidden valleys and cirrus clouds. Some valley lines are also marked with negative lines around them, even connected together. At this time, the bas-relief jade is not completely separated from the ground, but mostly polished along the pattern, thus producing an artistic effect that is hidden and hidden. Among them, the multi-section dragon and phoenix patterns unearthed from the tomb of Zeng Houyi, which attracted worldwide attention, are rare artistic treasures among jade articles in the early Warring States period. The jade material is exquisite, with a total length of 48 cm. It is made of five jade materials. The surface of the device is carved with dragons, phoenixes and glass. , and decorated with geometric patterns. At the same time, it integrates intaglio carving, relief, hollowing out, tenoning and polishing in one device, which is complex and extremely difficult, and reflects the high level of jade management in the early Warring States period.

In the middle and late Warring States period, jade crafts developed continuously, showing a brilliant scene. At this time, the choice of jade materials is more strict, and the supply of white Hetian jade is more than before. The jade processing technology is more mature, and because Pu Jin used metal tools, the jade in the Warring States period was more neat, angular, sharp and not sloppy than in the early days. Whether it is bas-relief, general carving or yinxian carving, it is finely crafted. In particular, the dragon and phoenix shapes, with their mouths open, their heads held high and their bodies twisted greatly, clearly show a vigorous and courageous momentum and strength. For example, our common hollowed-out dragon ornaments, carved jade walls, and various Yu Pei, with their delicate texture, novel modeling design, meticulous carving, ingenious hollowing-out, energetic lines and full luster, all make people applaud and marvel. It can be said that the fineness of jade craft in the Warring States Period reached an unprecedented peak in the history of jade in China.

Third, the difference between jade articles in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period:

Jade articles in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period have made continuous progress in the development and changes of more than 500 years, showing different artistic styles. Of course, this artistic style will never be completely separated with the division of historical years. For example, jade articles in the early Warring States period still have the style of jade articles in the late Spring and Autumn Period, and even some works are very similar and difficult to distinguish. But once the new artistic style and aesthetic fashion are stabilized, there will be a trend and trend in the whole artistic creation. The artistic features created by this trend and trend are the most basic things we must master in appraisal. Let's try to talk about the differences between jade articles in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period from three aspects.

1, Technology: In terms of production technology, jade articles in the Spring and Autumn Period are round in shape, round in lines and finely polished. Jade articles in the Warring States period have sharp edges and clear lines. At the same time, the use of hollow-out techniques is more common than in the Spring and Autumn Period, and the skills are particularly exquisite and meticulous. Even the inner wall outside the building is polished brightly and carefully.

2. Decoration: Jade articles in the Spring and Autumn Period make good use of many abstract deformation and dismemberment dragons to fill the picture of objects, making it impenetrable. At first glance, it seems to have a specious fuzzy feeling. The decorative patterns of jade articles in the Warring States period are sparse, such as valley patterns, moire patterns, cross-linked moire patterns, "S" patterns, twisted silk patterns and so on. The lines are smooth, the craftsmanship is exquisite, and the main lines and ground lines are clearly visible, which is pleasing to the eye after viewing.

3. Charm: To identify ancient jade articles, we should not only master their characteristics of the times, techniques and decorative techniques, but also carefully understand their inner charm. Generally speaking, jade articles in the Spring and Autumn Period are not as arrogant, calm and plain as those in the Warring States Period in terms of modeling, composition and dynamic changes. The jade articles in the Warring States period were properly designed in terms of surface, corners and layout, and were full of strong sense of movement and vitality. This vigorous momentum and artistic vitality are actually the spirit of the Warring States, which is caused by the temperament, thought and culture of the Warring States people.