Bowl. China, Qing Dynasty, 19th century. Green jade. In good state of preservation.

Bowl. China, Qing Dynasty, 19th century.
Green jade.
In good state of preservation.
Measurements: 4.5 x 13.5 x 7.5 cm.
This small bowl is notable for the large size of the handles in relation to the body of the bowl. It is a piece delicately worked in green jade, a material used in China since the Neolithic period, at first worked by abrasion and later by carving. Since ancient times it has had a value equivalent to that given in Europe to gold, silver or precious stones. Since prehistoric times it has been the burial material par excellence in China, and it also conferred status, as it was the material used by the powerful. It was therefore a material that was believed to protect during life, which is why it was used to make amulets, ornaments and ritual knives. It is also associated with the five virtues: charity, because of its lustre, which shines but does not dazzle; righteousness, because of its transparency, which reveals the veins; wisdom, because of its purity and sound; courage, because it breaks but does not bend; and justice, because its sharp edges do not hurt.