Disk (bi 璧)

Detail of a pattern
Image 1 of 2
Download Image IIIF

Terms of Use

Creative Commons

At A Glance

On View
  • Period

    ca. 3300-2250 BCE
  • Geography

    Lake Tai region, China
  • Material

    Jade (nephrite)
  • Dimension

    Diam x D: 16 x 1.2 cm (6 1/4 x 1/2 in)
  • Accession Number

    F1919.27
  • EDAN ID

    edanmdm:fsg_F1919.27

Object Details

  • Provenance

    Reportedly excavated in Lo-yang, Honan [1]
    Wu Dacheng (1835-1902) [2]
    To 1919
    You Xiaoxi (late 19th-early 20th century), Shanghai, to 1919 [3]
    1919
    Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919), purchased from You Xiaoxi, in New York, in 1919 [4]
    From 1920
    Freer Gallery of Art, gift of Charles Lang Freer in 1920 [5]
    Notes:
    [1] According to Curatorial Remark 1 in the object record: "Formerly in the collection of Wu Ta Ch'eng of Kiangsu, and said to have been excavated at Lo-yang, Honan."
    [2] See note 1.
    [3] See Original Miscellaneous List, S.I. 1406, pg. 330, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives.
    [4] See note 3.
    [5] The original deed of Charles Lang Freer's gift was signed in 1906. The collection was received in 1920 upon the completion of the Freer Gallery.
  • Collection

    Freer Gallery of Art Collection
  • Exhibition History

    Afterlife: Ancient Chinese Jades (October 14, 2017 - ongoing)
    Ancient Chinese Jades and Bronzes (November 20, 2010 to January 3, 2016)
    Chinese Art (February 18, 1983 to April 1, 1987)
    Chinese Art (March 15, 1982 to June 15, 1982)
  • Previous custodian or owner

    Wu Dacheng 吳大澂 (1835-1902)
    You Xiaoxi 游篠溪 (late 19th-early 20th century) (C.L. Freer source)
    Charles Lang Freer (1854-1919)
  • Origin

    Lake Tai region, China
  • Culture

    Liangzhu culture, ca. 3300-ca. 2250 BCE
  • Credit Line

    Gift of Charles Lang Freer
  • Type

    Ceremonial Object
  • On View

    Freer Gallery 19: Afterlife: Ancient Chinese Jades
  • Restrictions and Rights

    CC0 - Creative Commons (CC0 1.0)

    This image is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions). You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

    The information presented on this website may be revised and updated at any time as ongoing research progresses or as otherwise warranted. Pending any such revisions and updates, information on this site may be incomplete or inaccurate or may contain typographical errors. Neither the Smithsonian nor its regents, officers, employees, or agents make any representations about the accuracy, reliability, completeness, or timeliness of the information on the site. Use this site and the information provided on it subject to your own judgment. The National Museum of Asian Art welcomes information that would augment or clarify the ownership history of objects in their collections.

Keep Exploring