Plaque from a book, The Canon of Yao

Detail of a pattern
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At A Glance

  • Period

    18th-early 19th century
  • Geography

    China
  • Material

    Jade, gold pigment
  • Dimension

    H x W x D: 0.3 x 9 x 9 cm (1/8 x 3 9/16 x 3 9/16 in)
  • Accession Number

    S1992.77.3
  • EDAN ID

    edanmdm:fsg_S1992.77.3

Object Details

  • Label

    Jade books were produced by the imperial palace in the Qing dynasty to record important imperial edicts and transcribe sutras or classical texts. This jade book records the Canon of Yao, a text about the sage-emperor Yao's transference of his throne to an appropriate successor (the text was included in the ancient classic of the Shangshu).
  • Collection

    National Museum of Asian Art Collection
  • Origin

    China
  • Credit Line

    Transfer from the National Museum of Natural History, Department of Minerology, Smithsonian Institution
  • Type

    Book
  • Restrictions and Rights

    Usage Conditions Apply

    There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

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