In late Shang Dynasty, exquisitely fabricated jade artefacts became very important in ritual activities of the ancient Shu state. In terms of the use of jade, it is also different from the combination of jade and ritual vessels in the Shang culture.
Zhang with The-Worship-of-Mountain Patterns 祭山图玉璋 (Ritual Object)
Jadeite | The Late Shang Dynasty (1250–1100 BC) | L: 54.4-54.5 cm, W: 8.8 cm, Thickness: 0.6-0.8 cm | Excavated from No.2 Sacrificial Pit of Sanxingdui in 1986 | Sanxingdui Museum Collection. 玉器｜商代晚期 （公元前1250年-前1100年）｜通长54.4-54.5厘米，宽8.8厘米，厚0.6-0.8厘米｜1986年三星堆二号祭祀坑出土 ｜三星堆博物馆藏
Also known as ceremonial jade object with engraved drawings of stylised human figures 三星堆出土玉边璋1, this ceremonial jade blade was unearthed from the Sanxingdui site in Sichuan, China, notable for its intricate line carvings depicting religious sacrifices, showcasing ancient Shu culture and early Chinese jade artistry, making it a prime example of ancient ritualistic jade artefacts.
The jade zhang has the same pattern on both sides. The pattern is divided into two groups, with a symmetrical layout. Each set of decorations includes mountains, saw and cloud patterns and two rows of worship-like portraits. It is speculated that the image shows a grand sacrificial scene, that is, the so-called Mountain Sacrifice (山陵之祭).2
The first layer shows three priests (or prietesses?) standing side-by-side. They are formal and wear a flat crown with bell-shaped earrings. Their hands are clasped together in front of their chest in a worship stance. Their mouths are depicted as a straight line, just like the masks excavated from the sacrificial pits.3
The second layer shows two continuous mountains with a circle at the top representing the sun, with rolling clouds on the slops. In the middle, there is a boat shaped object that could be the altar. The third layer is a double S pattern, followed by three more persons with Napoleon-type hats kneeling in worship, which most likely represents the worshippers.
And finally, another two mountains with ceremonial tooth-shaped jade zhangs sticking out on the sides. The mountain is connected with another artefact that is the shape of the beak of the hornbill, a common motif of the excavation.
The Sanxingdui Culture 三星堆文化 (c. 1700-1150 BC)
Before 316 BC, the Sichuan Basin was isolated from what was then a Bronze Age civilisation that was centred in the Yellow River basin to the northeast. The discovery of Sanxingdui in 1987 was a major surprise since it indicated a major symbolic culture in Neolithic China that was previously unknown.
The jade artefacts of Sanxingdui are simple in design and special in shapes. Bearing a strong influence of the Central Plain, the jade artefacts reflect innovation and development in terms of shapes, and many of them are unique to Sanxingdui.
Bian Zhang 玉边璋 (Ritual Object)
Jadeite | The Late Shang Dynasty (1250–1100 BC) | Excavated from No.1 Sacrificial Pit of Sanxingdui in 1986 | Sanxingdui Museum Collection. 玉器｜商代晚期（公元前1250年-前1100年）｜ 1986年三星堆一号祭祀坑出土 ｜三星堆博物馆藏
玉边璋 Bian Zhang (Ritual Object)
According to the Rites of Zhou4, there’s a strict rule of how long each zhang is according to the purpose of the worship, and the largest ones are used for mountain worship by the Son of Heaven 天子 (aka the King). This particular Zhang is called Bian Zhang 边璋, and according to Rites of Zhou, is used for worship of smaller hills and streams.
And unlike the Mayans, Sanxingdui did not present any evidence of human sacrifice. Instead the artefacts, especially the bronze items had been broken and buried as if they were sacrificed (above, left). A human figure with a serpent-like body and a ritual wine vessel known as zūn 鐏 on its head is among the relics that were recently unearthed in Pit No.8. The figure is part of a larger statue (right); the part featuring a man’s curving lower body joined with a pair of bird’s feet (middle) was unearthed in Pit No.2 in 1986. The statue was restored (right) in Jun 2022 after the parts were reunited in the Restoration Hall of the museum.
All photos taken at Sanxingdui Museum Dec 2021, unless otherwise noted.
About Chinese Treasure Series
中華國寶系列 Chinese Treasure series feature specific artefacts and relics from museums all around the world that are historically significant to be considered a National Treasure. The series covers the 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation from Neolithic periods before the Xia dynasty (c. 2070-1600 BC) to modern day.
Footnotes:
- 三星堆出土玉边璋
图案上下两幅对称布局，内容相同，最上一幅平行站立三人，头戴平顶冠，戴铃形耳饰，双手在胸前做抱拳状，脚穿翘头鞭，两脚外撇站成一字形。第二幅是两座山，山顶内部有一圆圈(可能代表太阳)，在圆的两侧分别刻有“云气纹”，两山之间有一盘状物，上有飘动的线条状若火焰。 在山形图案的低部又画有一座小山，小山的下部是一方台(可能代表祭祀台)，山的外侧，一只大手，仿佛从天而降，伸出拇指按在山腰上。第三幅是两组S形勾连的云雷纹。云雷纹下的一幅也是三个人，穿着和手势与第一幅相同，所不同的是这三个人戴着山形高帽，双脚呈跪拜的姿势。第五幅又是两座山，内部结构与第二幅相同，所不同的是山外两侧各立有一牙璋，右边的山头伸出一个状若象勾状物横在两山之间。这些图案反映出古蜀人在祭坛上举着牙璋祭祀天地和大山，而且天神已有反应，伸出拇指按在山腰上，这是要赐福于下界的表示。https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-sg/三星堆出土玉边璋, accessed 8 Jan 2026 ↩︎ - 祭山图玉璋
Zhang (Ritual Object) with The-Worship-of-Mountain Patterns
玉璋两面阴刻相同的图案。图案分上下两组，正反相对呈对称布局，每组纹饰包含山陵牙璋、云雷纹和两排做祭拜状的人像。推测该图像表现的是隆重的祭祀场景，即所谓的“山陵之祭”。Museum information card, Nov 2021 ↩︎ - 3千年前三星堆的祭山仪式，被完整记录在这块玉上！
海棠盈香 2025-07-03 发布于北京 | 第一层为三人平行站立，他们姿态庄重，头戴平顶冠，戴铃形耳饰，双手抱拳于胸前，脚穿翘头靴子，两脚外撇呈“一”字形站立。特别的是，他们的嘴巴与三星堆出土的面具一样都是呈“一”字形。他们可能是祭祀的主持者或巫师。
第二层山形图案，两座山峰，山顶内部刻圆圈（代表太阳），两侧饰云气纹，山间有一盘状物（火焰状），底部为方台（祭祀台）。
注意看，山外侧有一只大手从天而降，拇指按在山腰，应该是象征天神接受祝祷并赐福。
第三层，山下面是两组“S”形勾连云雷纹，象征天地沟通的媒介。
第四层有三人呈跪拜姿势，他们头戴山形高帽，跪坐于地，双手姿势与上层人物相同。他们可能代表臣民或祭品奉献者。http://www.360doc.com/content/25/0703/19/78214745_1156715857.shtml#google_vignette, accessed 8 Jan 2026 ↩︎ - 《周礼·考工记》又载:”大璋，中璋九寸，边璋七寸，射四寸，天子以巡守。“说明玉璋还是天子巡狩的时候祭祀山川的器物。大山川用大璋，中山川用中璋，小山川用边璋。所祭的如果是山，礼毕就将玉璋埋在地下，如果是川，礼毕就将璋投到河里。又云，“璋邸射，以祀山川。”《周礼·典端》载:”牙璋以起军旅，以治兵守。”
《周礼•春宫•典瑞》载：“璋邸射以祀山川。以造赠宾客”。 ↩︎
0 comments on “National Treasure – Jade Zhang (Ritual Object) with The-Worship-of-Mountain Patterns (Shang Dynasty)”