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The ''Heshibi'', often translated as Mr. He's jade, was a sacred ceremonial '' bi'' disk, also known as a jade annulus, which had an important role in
Chinese history The history of China spans several millennia across a wide geographical area. Each region now considered part of the Chinese world has experienced periods of unity, fracture, prosperity, and strife. Chinese civilization first emerged in the Y ...
. First appearing during the mid–8th century BCE, it was cut into a ritual ''bi'' and recognized as an imperial treasure. The ''Heshibi'' became the object of contention among the
Warring States The Warring States period in Chinese history (221 BC) comprises the final two and a half centuries of the Zhou dynasty (256 BC), which were characterized by frequent warfare, bureaucratic and military reforms, and struggles for gre ...
, stolen from
Chu Chu or CHU may refer to: Chinese history * Chu (state) (c. 1030 BC–223 BC), a state during the Zhou dynasty * Western Chu (206 BC–202 BC), a state founded and ruled by Xiang Yu * Chu Kingdom (Han dynasty) (201 BC–70 AD), a kingdom of the H ...
circa 4th century BCE, acquired by the Zhao, and temporarily traded to Qin in 283 BCE. When the
Qin dynasty The Qin dynasty ( ) was the first Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China. It is named for its progenitor state of Qin, a fief of the confederal Zhou dynasty (256 BC). Beginning in 230 BC, the Qin under King Ying Zheng enga ...
was founded in 221 BCE, the ''Heshibi'' was carved into the
Heirloom Seal of the Realm The Heirloom Seal of the Realm (), also known in English as the Imperial Seal of China, was a Chinese jade seal allegedly carved out of the '' Heshibi'', a sacred piece of jade.The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Beijing ...
, symbol of the
Mandate of Heaven The Mandate of Heaven ( zh, t=天命, p=Tiānmìng, w=, l=Heaven's command) is a Chinese ideology#Political ideologies, political ideology that was used in History of China#Ancient China, Ancient China and Chinese Empire, Imperial China to legit ...
, and subsequently transferred through successive
Chinese dynasties For most of its history, China was organized into various Dynasty, dynastic states under the rule of Hereditary monarchy, hereditary monarchs. Beginning with the establishment of dynastic rule by Yu the Great , and ending with the Imperial Edic ...
until it was lost during the Five Dynasties era in the 10th century. The early historicity of the stone is uncertain, though its great antiquity seems clear. The earliest mention of it is from the 3rd century BCE. The story of its finding is likely apocryphal. Whether it was turned into the Heirloom Seal of the Realm is also a matter of dispute. If it was turned into the seal, it was certainly lost by the time of the
Ming dynasty The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of ...
. It has been used as a metaphor for a precious object since its earliest mentions.


Terminology

''Héshìbì'' (, "He's jade annulus") or ''Héshìzhībì'' () using the
Classical Chinese Classical Chinese is the language in which the classics of Chinese literature were written, from . For millennia thereafter, the written Chinese used in these works was imitated and iterated upon by scholars in a form now called Literary ...
grammatical
possessive affix In linguistics, a possessive affix (from ) is an affix (usually suffix or prefix) attached to a noun to indicate its possessor, much in the manner of possessive adjectives. Possessive affixes are found in many languages of the world. The '' Wor ...
''zhī'' ( ) was a '' '' (, "jade annulus") or ceremonial jade annulus. ''Bi'' artifacts date back to the
Liangzhu culture The Liangzhu () culture or civilization (3300–2300 BC) was the last Chinese Neolithic jade culture in the Yangtze River Delta. The culture was highly stratified, as jade, silk, ivory and lacquer artifacts were found exclusively in elite burial ...
(3400–2250 BCE). ''Bi'' signified heavenly kingship in Zhou times, and were often used ceremonially as symbolic of a covenant or guarantee. The word can also be used to refer to jade in general. The ''Heshibi'' is named after Bian He, the person who first discovered the jade stone. Bian He (卞和) is a
Chinese name Chinese may refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people identified with China, through nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **Han Chinese, East Asian ethnic group native to China. **'' Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethni ...
, '' Biàn'' ( ) is the
surname In many societies, a surname, family name, or last name is the mostly hereditary portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family. It is typically combined with a given name to form the full name of a person, although several give ...
(e.g., Bian Lan) and ''Hé'' ( ) is the
given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a f ...
. However, ''He'' is also an uncommon surname (e.g., He Qia) and early texts refer to Bian He as both ''Bianshi'' (卞氏, "of Bian clan") and ''Heshi'' (和氏, "of He clan"), with the word ''shì'' (氏, "
Chinese clan Chinese may refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people identified with China, through nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **Han Chinese, East Asian ethnic group native to China. **''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic ...
; family"). Some alternate names are ''Heshi'' (龢氏, with the ancient variant character ''Hé''), ''Heshi'' (咼氏, with the unique variant ''Guō'' ( ) only pronounced ''He'' in this name), and ''Jing He'' (荊和, "He from
Jingzhou Jingzhou ( zh, s=, c=荆州, t=, p=Jīngzhōu) is a prefecture-level city in southern Hubei province, China, located on the banks of the Yangtze River. Its total residential population was 5,231,180 based on the Seventh National Population Censu ...
"). Most scholars translate ''Heshi'' as "Mr. He" with suffixed ''shi'', some as "Master He", and a few literally interpret ''shi'' and translate ''Heshi'' as "He Clan" or "He family".


Legends

The Chinese story of the ''Heshibi'' has been retold and developed for over two millennia.


''Hanfeizi''

The earliest extant account is the ''Heshi'' (和氏, "Mr. He") chapter of the classic '' Hanfeizi'', attributed to
Han Fei Han Fei (233 BC), also known as Han Feizi, was a Chinese Legalist philosopher and statesman during the Warring States period. He was a prince of the state of Han. Han Fei is often considered the greatest representative of Legalism for th ...
(c. 280–233 BC). The ''Hanfeizi'' version involves Mr. He presenting his jade to the first three "kings" of
Chu Chu or CHU may refer to: Chinese history * Chu (state) (c. 1030 BC–223 BC), a state during the Zhou dynasty * Western Chu (206 BC–202 BC), a state founded and ruled by Xiang Yu * Chu Kingdom (Han dynasty) (201 BC–70 AD), a kingdom of the H ...
state: "King Li of Chu" (楚厲王) posthumously refers to Viscount Fenmao (r. 757–741 BCE), his brother
King Wu of Chu King Wu of Chu (), personal name Xiong Che, also known as Xiong Tong, was a monarch of the Chu state. He ruled as viscount from 740 BC to 704 BC, and as king from 704 BC to 690 BC. He was the second son of Xiao'ao, and brother of the previous r ...
(楚武王, r. 740–690 BCE) who was the first to style himself "king", and his son
King Wen of Chu King Wen of Chu (), personal name Xiong Zi, was from 689 BC to 677 BC the king of the Chu state. King Wen succeeded his father, King Wu, who died in 690 BC. He died in 677 BC and was succeeded by one of his sons, Du'ao. References ...
(楚文王, r. 689–677 BCE). Several ''Hanfeizi'' commentaries say these three 8th-century BCE Chu rulers of Bian He should be three
Zhou dynasty The Zhou dynasty ( ) was a royal dynasty of China that existed for 789 years from until 256 BC, the longest span of any dynasty in Chinese history. During the Western Zhou period (771 BC), the royal house, surnamed Ji, had military ...
rulers:
King Wu of Zhou King Wu of Zhou (; died ), personal name Ji Fa, was the founding king of the Chinese Zhou dynasty. The chronology of his reign is disputed but is generally thought to have begun around 1046 BCE and ended with his death three years later. Ki ...
(周武王, r. c. 1050–1043 BCE), his father
King Wen of Zhou King Wen of Zhou ( zh, c=周文王, p=Zhōu Wén Wáng; 1152–1050 BC, the Cultured King) was the posthumous title given to Ji Chang ( zh, c=姬昌), the patriarch of the Zhou state during the final years of Shang dynasty in ancient China. J ...
(周文王, r. 1100–1050), and
King Cheng of Zhou King Cheng of Zhou (; 1055–1021 BC), personal name Ji Song, was the second king of the Chinese Zhou dynasty. The dates of his reign are 1042–1021 BCE or 1042/35–1006 BCE. Ji Dan, Duke of Zhou served as regent during his minority. His pare ...
(周成王, r. 1042–1021 BCE).
Once a man of Ch'u, named Pien Ho, came by an uncut jade in the Ch'u Hills. He brought it home and submitted it as a present to King Wu. Thereupon King Wu had a jeweller give an opinion of it. "It is an ordinary stone," said the jeweller. The King, regarding Ho as a liar, had his left foot cut off. Upon King Wu's death, King Wên ascended the throne, when Ho again submitted it as a present to King Wên. King Wên also had a jeweller give an opinion of it. Again he said, "It is an ordinary stone." The King, also regarding Ho as a liar, had his right foot cut off. When King Wên died and King Ch'êng ascended the throne, Ho, carrying the uncut jade in his arms, cried at the foot of the Ching Hills. After three days and three nights his tears were all exhausted and blood flowed out. At this news the King sent men out to ask him the reason, saying, "Throughout All-under-Heaven men whose feet were cut off are many. Why should you be crying so bitterly?" "I am lamenting not the loss of my feet," said Ho in reply, "but for the calling a precious gem an ordinary stone and for their dubbing an honest man a liar. This is the reason why I am lamenting." Meanwhile, the King had a jeweller polish up the jade and got the treasure out at last. So it was designated "the Jade of Pien Ho" ��氏之璧
The subsequent ''Hanfeizi'' context criticizes contemporary rulers and recommends that a wise person who hopes to avoid punishment should not present a ruler any "uncut jewels of wisdom and statecraft". Joseph P. Yap translates the ''Hanfeizi'' story with the three Chu kings Li, Wu, and Wen.
At around 8th century BCE, Bian He a jeweller from the kingdom of Chu discovered a piece of stone; he knew from experience that it was a piece of priceless jade. He presented the piece of stone to King Li of Chu, (757–741 BCE). The king thought the jeweller was trying to deceive him and had his left foot chopped off as a punishment. When the next king,
King Wu of Chu King Wu of Chu (), personal name Xiong Che, also known as Xiong Tong, was a monarch of the Chu state. He ruled as viscount from 740 BC to 704 BC, and as king from 704 BC to 690 BC. He was the second son of Xiao'ao, and brother of the previous r ...
(r. 740–691 BCE) ascended to the throne, Bian He again presented the piece of stone to the new king; this time, the king had his right foot chopped off as he also maintained that the jeweller was trying to deceive him. Bian He embracing his piece of stone cried for three days and three nights at the foothills of Jingshan Mountain. Much later, when
King Wen of Chu King Wen of Chu (), personal name Xiong Zi, was from 689 BC to 677 BC the king of the Chu state. King Wen succeeded his father, King Wu, who died in 690 BC. He died in 677 BC and was succeeded by one of his sons, Du'ao. References ...
(r. 690–675 BCE) ascended the throne the king sent someone to ask the jeweller why he was so adamant about his belief. He answered, 'This is a piece of priceless jade, and the two former kings regarded it as a useless piece of stone. I am not saddened by the loss of my feet, but I am distressed by the fact that a patriot is misconstrued as being wicked and evil."
he king He or HE may refer to: Language * He (letter), the fifth letter of the Semitic abjads * He (pronoun), a pronoun in Modern English * He (kana), one of the Japanese kana (へ in hiragana and ヘ in katakana) * Ge (Cyrillic), a Cyrillic letter cal ...
then asked a jade expert to cut open the stone, and it transpired that it was indeed a piece of priceless jade. Legend has it that it was pure white and flawless. The king of Chu named it ''Heshibi'', Master He's jade.


Gao's ''Huainanzi'' commentary

The next significant version of Pian He's story is found in Gao You's 212 CE ''
Huainanzi The ''Huainanzi'' is an ancient Chinese text made up of essays from scholarly debates held at the court of Liu An, Prince of Huainan, before 139 BCE. Compiled as a handbook for an enlightened sovereign and his court, the work attempts to defi ...
'' commentary for the passage (below) that compares the Way of Heaven with the Marquis of Sui's pearl and the ''Heshibi''. Gao changes the original three Chu kings state to the three Zhou kings.
A man from Ch'u named Pien Ho found a piece of unpolished jade at the foot of the Ching Mountains. He offered it as tribute to King Wu f the Chou dynasty King Wu had it inspected by a jade expert, who declared it to be ordinary stone. ien Hohad his left leg cut off s punishment When King Wen came to the throne, ien Hoonce more presented the jade. King Wen took it to be ordinary stone, and ien Hohad his right leg cut off. Pien Ho wrapped the jade carefully and wept tears of blood. When King Ch'eng ascended the throne, Pien Ho once again presented the jade. King Ch'eng said: 'Dear sir, you disregard having your legs cut off, as long as you can have your jade piece cut up for examination.' As soon as the stone was cut, it appeared that it was truly fine jade, and it was made into a jade nnulus(''pi'').


History

Beginning with the ''Zhanguo ce'' and ''Shiji'', many Chinese histories have discussed the ''Heshibi'', but the early historicity remains uncertain.


''Zhanguo ce''

The 3rd-century BCE ''
Zhanguo ce The ''Zhan Guo Ce'' (Wade-Giles, W-G: ''Chan-kuo T'se''), also known in English language, English as the ''Strategies of the Warring States'' or ''Annals of the Warring States'', is an ancient Chinese text that contains anecdotes of political ma ...
'' (Strategies of the Warring States), which is a compendium of political and military anecdotes dating from 490 to 221 BCE, relates that the ''Heshibi'' was a national treasure of Chu, stolen from the Prime Minister, and eventually obtained by Zhao state. King Wei of Chu (r. 339–329 BCE) bestowed the priceless jade upon
Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
Zhao Yang (昭陽) in gratitude for his defeat of the Yue kingdom in 333 BCE. On one occasion, Zhao Yang displayed the jade for his guests at a banquet when someone started a commotion, and in the midst of the confusion, the jade annulus disappeared. The School of Diplomacy political strategist Zhang Yi (fl. 328–309 BCE) was accused as the thief, and Zhao Yang had him questioned under torture before he was released. After this incident, the whereabouts of the jade was lost until it resurfaced at Zhao. Chapter 250 of the ''Zhanguo ce'' records how another School of Diplomacy strategist
Su Qin Su Qin (380–284 BCE) was a Chinese political consultant and philosopher who was an influential political strategist during the Warring States period. He was born in Chengxuan Village, Luoyang, in present-day Henan Province. According to legend ...
(380–284 BCE) persuaded Li Yu (李兌), the Chancellor of Zhao, to provide the ''Heshibi'' in order to acquire funding for the Vertical Alliance of six states against Qin. During their first audience, Su Qin convincingly explained his Vertical Alliance strategies to Li Yu and said, "You killed your ruler, .e., King Wuling of Zhao">King_Wuling_of_Zhao.html" ;"title=".e., King Wuling of Zhao">.e., King Wuling of Zhao and you extirpated his kin, and find your position in the empire as perilous as though you were perched atop a pile of eggs. If you heed my plans you will live; if you heed them not you will die." After Li told Su to return on the next day for an audience, one of his attendants said Su's "arguments and their scope are beyond you. Will you be able to do as he advises?" Li replied that he could not and followed the attendant's suggestion that he plug up his ears in order to avoid listening to Su's rhetoric. Su Qin persuasively spoke for the entire day during the second audience with Li. When the attendant escorted him out, Su asked "A day ago I spoke only crudely and your ruler was moved. Today I spoke in detail and he was not. Why?" "Your plans are great and their scope is lofty, sir", replied the attendant. "My lord cannot use them, so I asked him firmly to stop both his ears so that he would not heed what was said. However, come again on the morrow and I will ask that the Master be well rewarded." During the final audience, Li Yu gave Su Qin "a moon pearl [秦明月之珠], the Jade of Ho ��氏之璧 a black sable coat and a hundred pieces of pure gold." Thus, Su got the wealth he needed in order to go westward into Qin state.


''Shiji''

The Han dynasty historiographer
Sima Qian Sima Qian () was a Chinese historian during the early Han dynasty. He is considered the father of Chinese historiography for the ''Shiji'' (sometimes translated into English as ''Records of the Grand Historian''), a general history of China cov ...
's c. 94 BCE ''
Shiji The ''Shiji'', also known as ''Records of the Grand Historian'' or ''The Grand Scribe's Records'', is a Chinese historical text that is the first of the Twenty-Four Histories of imperial China. It was written during the late 2nd and early 1st cen ...
'' (Records of the Grand Historian) relates the history and background of Hr. He's jade annulus in two biographies.


Lin Xiangru

The ''Shiji'' "Biographies of Lian Po and
Lin Xiangru Lin Xiangru () (died July 260 BCE) was a politician and general of the Warring States period, who served the state of Zhao. He figures prominently in two stories of the period, namely the episode and the namesake '' chengyu'' of " Returning the J ...
" section records a famous story. In 283 BCE,
King Zhaoxiang of Qin King Zhaoxiang of Qin (; 325–251 BC), also abbreviated as King Zhao of Qin (秦昭王), born Ying Ji (嬴稷), was a king of the state of Qin during the Eastern Zhou dynasty, reigning from 306 BC to 251 BC. He was the son of King Huiwen and t ...
(r. 306–251 BCE) schemed to obtain Mr. He's jade annulus – this is the first recorded usage of modern term ''Heshibi'' 和氏璧 without classical ''zhi'' 之—from
King Huiwen of Zhao King Huiwen of Zhao () (born 310 BCE – died 266 BCE, r. 298–266 BCE), personal name Zhao He, was a king of the Zhao state. During his reign, the Zhao state reached its apogee, with the aid of famous administrators and generals alike such as ...
(r. 298–266 BCE) – and deceitfully offered to trade away a large portion of Qin territory for the jade. However, when Xiangru discovered that Zhaoxiang never intended to give away Qin land, he tricked the king and managed to return the jade annulus back to Zhao. "During the time of King Huiwen, Zhao ��acquired Chu's Jade of the Ho Clan ��和氏璧 King Zhao ��of Qin heard of this and sent a messenger to deliver a letter to the King of Zhao, saying that he wished to offer fifteen walled cities in exchange for the jade annulus ��以十五城請易璧" The King of Zhao was distrustful and told his advisors "If we give it to Qin, we most likely will not obtain Qin’s cities, but will only be cheated. If we do not give it, then we must fear the arrival of Qin’s soldiers." The king sought the opinion of Lin Xiangru, who said, "Qin is mighty and Zhao is weak, you must grant his request." The king replied, "If he takes my jade, but gives us no cities, what then?" Lin said, "If Qin seeks the jade with its cities and Zhao does not accede, the fault lies with Zhao. If Zhao gives Qin the jade and Qin does not give Zhao the cities, the fault lies with Qin. In weighing these two measures, it would be better to accede, and lay the fault on Qin." Xiangru agreed to undertake the mission to Qin, and promised the king, "If the cities are granted to Zhao, the jade will remain in Qin; if the cities are not granted, allow your servant to return to Zhao with the jade intact." When Lin Xiangru arrived in the Qin capital, he respectfully presented the jade to King Zhaoxiang with both hands. The king was delighted and "passed it around to his Beauties and courtiers, who all shouted 'Long live the King!'" When Xiangru realized that the King of Qin had no intention of honoring the agreement, he came forward and said, "The jade has a flaw. Allow me to show it to Your Majesty." The king handed him the jade, and Xiangru retreated and stood with his back to a pillar. With his "hair bristling against his hat in rage," he threatened to destroy the jade. "It seems to me that Your Majesty has no intention of giving the King of Zhao the cities owed him. Thus I have reclaimed the jade. If you must press me, Great King, my head and the jade will both shatter against this pillar!" Since the King of Qin feared the jade would be demolished, he apologized and said, "The fifteen cities from here on will be given to Zhao." Concluding that Zhao would never acquire the Qin cities, Xiangru then told the king, "The jade of the Ho Clan ��氏璧is a treasure that the entire world has transmitted with reverence." He then falsely said that before the King of Zhao sent off the jade, he fasted and purified himself for five days, and convinced the King of Qin that he too needed to fast for five days, after which, "your servant would dare to offer up the jade." The king agreed, and while he was fasting, Xiangru arranged for his retainer to disguise himself as a commoner, conceal the jade, and safely smuggle it back to Zhao. After the King of Qin had finished fasting and purification, he held a ritual ceremony in his court. When Lin Xiangru arrived, he confessed having secretly sent the jade back to Zhao and then insulted the king's ancestors: "Out of the twenty odd lords of Qin since Duke Mu 穆 (r. 659–621 B.C.), not one has honored his agreements and oaths. Your servant truly feared he would be cheated by Your Majesty and thus betray Zhao." Xiangru told the enraged king that he would willingly accept the Qin death penalty for deceiving a king, and requested the ''pēng'' ( , "
death by boiling Death by boiling is a method of execution in which a person is killed by being immersed in a boiling liquid. While not as common as other methods of execution, boiling to death has been practiced in many parts of Europe and Asia. Due to the length ...
")
punishment Punishment, commonly, is the imposition of an undesirable or unpleasant outcome upon an individual or group, meted out by an authority—in contexts ranging from child discipline to criminal law—as a deterrent to a particular action or beh ...
. Although some of the courtiers wanted to boil Xiangru immediately, the King of Qin said, "If We kill Xiangru now, We still cannot acquire the jade, and it would ruin the good relations between Qin and Zhao. It would be better to treat him with great civility instead, then send him back to Zhao." After Xiangru had returned, the King of Zhao praised the skillful diplomacy of his mission to Qin, and appointed him Senior Grand Master. (Chapter 81) This story is the source of the Chinese idioms ''jiàzhíliánchéng'' (價值連城, lit. "as valuable as multiple cites") meaning "invaluable; priceless" and ''wánbìguīzhào'' (完璧歸趙, lit. "return the whole jade annulus to Zhao") meaning "to return something intact to its rightful owner".


Li Si

The ''Shiji'' biography of
Qin dynasty The Qin dynasty ( ) was the first Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China. It is named for its progenitor state of Qin, a fief of the confederal Zhou dynasty (256 BC). Beginning in 230 BC, the Qin under King Ying Zheng enga ...
Grand chancellor
Li Si Li Si (; 208 BC) was a Chinese calligrapher, philosopher, and politician of the Qin dynasty. He served as Chancellor from 246 to 208 BC, first under King Zheng of the state of Qin—who later became Qin Shi Huang, the "First Emperor" o ...
(c. 280–208 BCE) collectively mentions ''Sui He zhi bao'' (隨和之寶, "treasures of arquisSui and r.He") in a letter advising Emperor
Qin Shi Huang Qin Shi Huang (, ; February 25912 July 210 BC), born Ying Zheng () or Zhao Zheng (), was the founder of the Qin dynasty and the first emperor of China. He is widely regarded as the first ever supreme leader of a unitary state, unitary d ...
not to follow Zheng Guo's advice to expel all foreigners from Qin.
Now Your Majesty imports jade from the Kun Mountains and possesses the treasures of Sui and He ��和之寶 Dangling moon–bright pearls ��月之珠 you buckle on the sword Taia, are drawn by fine steeds like Xianli, set up phoenix banners blazoned with kingfisher feathers, and employ drums of sacred lizard skin. Not one of these various precious things is a product native to Qin, and yet Your Majesty takes joy in them. Why? If something must be a product of Qin before it can be acceptable, then no night–shining jewels ��光之璧would adorn the court chambers, no vessels of rhinoceros horn or elephant tusk would amuse and delight you, no women of Zheng and Wey would throng the harem, and no fine horses and spirited thoroughbreds would fill your stables. The gold and tin from south of the Yangtze could not be utilized, the vermilion and blue of Shu could not be used for pigment. (Chapter 87)


Imperial seal of China

ln 228 BCE, Qin overwhelmed the kingdom of Zhao and seized the ''Heshibi'' from King Dai of Zhao. In 221 BCE, the Qin kingdom had conquered all six Warring States and
Qin Shi Huangdi Qin Shi Huang (, ; February 25912 July 210 BC), born Ying Zheng () or Zhao Zheng (), was the founder of the Qin dynasty and the first emperor of China. He is widely regarded as the first ever supreme leader of a unitary dynasty in Chin ...
founded the Qin dynasty. The emperor ordered that the ''Heshibi'' jade annulus be carved into his imperial jade
seal Seal may refer to any of the following: Common uses * Pinniped, a diverse group of semi-aquatic marine mammals, many of which are commonly called seals, particularly: ** Earless seal, also called "true seal" ** Fur seal ** Eared seal * Seal ( ...
that read, "Having received the Mandate from Heaven, may (the emperor) lead a long and prosperous life." ( 受命
Tian () is one of the oldest Chinese terms for heaven and a key concept in Chinese mythology, Chinese philosophy, philosophy, and cosmology. During the Shang dynasty (17th―11th century BCE), the Chinese referred to their highest god as ''Shan ...
,
''Shòu'' () is the Chinese word/character for "longevity". Use Three of the most important goals in life in Chinese traditional thought are the propitious blessings of happiness (''fú'' ), professional success or prosperity (''lù'' ), and ...
永昌). The Qin Chancellor
Li Si Li Si (; 208 BC) was a Chinese calligrapher, philosopher, and politician of the Qin dynasty. He served as Chancellor from 246 to 208 BC, first under King Zheng of the state of Qin—who later became Qin Shi Huang, the "First Emperor" o ...
wrote this inscription in
Seal script Seal script or sigillary script () is a Chinese script styles, style of writing Chinese characters that was common throughout the latter half of the 1st millennium BC. It evolved organically out of bronze script during the Zhou dynasty (1 ...
characters and Sun Shou (孫壽) carved them into the jade. This Qin dynasty jade seal came to symbolize the
Mandate of Heaven The Mandate of Heaven ( zh, t=天命, p=Tiānmìng, w=, l=Heaven's command) is a Chinese ideology#Political ideologies, political ideology that was used in History of China#Ancient China, Ancient China and Chinese Empire, Imperial China to legit ...
, and beginning when the last Qin ruler
Ziying Ying Ziying, also known as Ziying, King of Qin (, died January 206 BC), was the third and last ruler of the Qin dynasty of China. He ruled over a fragmented Qin Empire for 46 days, from mid-October to early December 207 BC. Unlike his ...
handed it over to
Emperor Gaozu of Han Emperor Gaozu of Han (2561 June 195 BC), also known by his given name Liu Bang, was the founder and first emperor of the Han dynasty, reigning from 202 to 195 BC. He is considered by traditional Chinese historiography to be one o ...
in 206 BCE, it was successively passed on to later dynastic emperors signifying the right to govern the
Chinese world The Sinosphere, also known as the Chinese cultural sphere, East Asian cultural sphere, or the Sinic world, encompasses multiple countries in East Asia and Southeast Asia that were historically heavily influenced by Chinese culture. The Sinosph ...
. The Heirloom Seal of the Realm was lost sometime between the Tang and Ming dynasties. Another version of the legend claims that it was interred in the burial crypt of the first Emperor of Qin
Shi Huangdi Qin Shi Huang (, ; February 25912 July 210 BC), born Ying Zheng () or Zhao Zheng (), was the founder of the Qin dynasty and the first emperor of China. He is widely regarded as the first ever supreme leader of a unitary dynasty in Chine ...
and the jade seal which was passed on for over one thousand years was another piece of jade from Lantian. The
China Daily ''China Daily'' ( zh, s=中国日报, p=Zhōngguó Rìbào) is an English-language daily newspaper owned by the Central Propaganda Department of the Chinese Communist Party. Overview ''China Daily'' has the widest print circulation of any ...
writes that the ''Heshibi'' and the Heirloom seal have been conflated, and considers the ''Heshibi'' to be a legend.


Literature

The jade annulus of Mr. He was mentioned in numerous classical Chinese texts, and present day
Sinophone Sinophone, which means "Chinese language, Chinese-speaking", typically refers to an individual who speaks at least one Varieties of Chinese, variety of Chinese (that is, one of the Sinitic languages). Academic writers often use the term Sinophone ...
s know the story from traditional ''
chengyu ''Chengyu'' ( zh, t=, s=, first=t, p=chéngyǔ, tr=set phrase) are a type of traditional Chinese idiomatic expressions, most of which consist of four Chinese characters. ''Chengyu'' were widely used in Literary Chinese and are still common in ...
'' idioms, such as ''wánbìguīzhào'' (完璧歸趙, lit. "return the whole jade annulus to Zhao") means "to return something intact to its rightful owner". The following literary examples are divided between using the ''Heshibi'' as a trope for something valuable or using it with other legendary treasures such as the Marquis of Sui's pearl.


''Heshibi'' as a single treasure

The c. 239 BCE ''
Lüshi Chunqiu The ''Lüshi Chunqiu'' (), also known in English as ''Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals'', is an encyclopedic Chinese classic text compiled around 239BC under the patronage of late pre-imperial Qin Chancellor Lü Buwei. In the evaluati ...
'' (Master Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals) is an encyclopedic text compiled under the patronage of the
Qin dynasty The Qin dynasty ( ) was the first Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China. It is named for its progenitor state of Qin, a fief of the confederal Zhou dynasty (256 BC). Beginning in 230 BC, the Qin under King Ying Zheng enga ...
Chancellor
Lü Buwei Lü Buwei (291–235 BCE) was a Chinese merchant and politician of the Qin state during the Warring States period. Originally an influential merchant from the Wey () state, Lü Buwei met and befriended King Zhuangxiang of Qin, who was then a ...
. The ''Mengdong'' (孟冬, "Almanac for the First Month of Winter") writes Mr. He ( 龢氏) with an early variant character.
Now, if one were to show a child a hundred pieces of gold and a ball of glutinous millet, the child would surely take the millet. If one were to show an ignorant person the jade disc of the He family ��氏之璧and a hundred pieces of gold, the ignorant man would surely take the gold. If one were to show a worthy man a jade nnulusof the He family and the most perfect teachings concerning the Dao and its Power, the worthy man would surely take the teachings. The more refined one's knowledge, the more refined one's choices. The cruder one's knowledge, the cruder one's choices. (Chapter 10)
The preceding ''Lüshi Chunqiu'' story similarly concerns "A rustic from
Song A song is a musical composition performed by the human voice. The voice often carries the melody (a series of distinct and fixed pitches) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs have a structure, such as the common ABA form, and are usu ...
found a jade while plowing and presented it to the Director of the City Walls, ho refused it and explained"You regard jade as a treasure, but I regard not accepting it as a treasure." The c. 3rd–1st century BCE ''
Chuci The ''Chu Ci'', variously translated as ''Verses of Chu'', ''Songs of Chu'', or ''Elegies of Chu'', is an ancient anthology of Chinese poetry including works traditionally attributed mainly to Qu Yuan and Song Yu from the Warring States period, ...
'' (Songs of
Chu Chu or CHU may refer to: Chinese history * Chu (state) (c. 1030 BC–223 BC), a state during the Zhou dynasty * Western Chu (206 BC–202 BC), a state founded and ruled by Xiang Yu * Chu Kingdom (Han dynasty) (201 BC–70 AD), a kingdom of the H ...
) poetry
anthology In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs, or related fiction/non-fiction excerpts by different authors. There are also thematic and g ...
mentions the story of Bian He several times. " Disgust with the World" includes him in a context of rulers who rejected loyal people, "And I grieve, too, for Bian He, the man of Chu ��楚人之和氏兮/ The jade he presented was judged worthless stone ��寶玉以為石/ Both King Li and King Wu refused to examine it / And he ended with both his feet cut off for his pains." "Reckless Remonstrance" says, "Bian He clasps his block of jade and weeps tears of blood ��抱璞而泣血兮/ Where can he find a craftsman good enough to shape it?" " Lament for the Worthy" includes Jing He in a list of loyal retainers who were mistreated, "Or Shen Sheng of Jin who met a hapless end / Or Jing He who wept tears of blood ��和氏之泣血/ Or Shen Xu of Wu who had his eyes gouged out." Two contexts in the c. 139 BCE ''Huananzi'' (quoted above) refer to Mr. Bian's (卞氏) jade annulus and to Mr. He (和氏) crying bloody tears. "If you understand the proper sequence of things, you will be calm. Now when it came to giving away Mr. Bian's jade annulus ��氏之璧 when he had not yet obtained it, r. Bianwas ahead. When he pleaded to present it and would not give up despite his indignation, he was behind." (Chapter 14.56) "Thus when your iewstally with what is essential, you will value what is true and iveequal onsideration tothe present and the ancient. If you do not have the means to heed persuasions, then you will value what has come down from the past, implybecause it is remote. This is why ianHe ��氏cried so hard that he bled at the foot of Mount Jing." (Chapter 19.7).


''Heshibi'' with other treasures

The Marquis of Sui's pearl is commonly used with the ''Heshibi'', for example, the ''Shiji'' lists "the treasures of Sui and He ��和之寶among Qin Shi Huangdi's imported valuables. The c. 4th to 2nd centuries BCE ''
Mozi Mozi, personal name Mo Di, was a Chinese philosopher, logician, and founder of the Mohist school of thought, making him one of the most important figures of the Warring States period (221 BCE). Alongside Confucianism, Mohism became the ...
'' ( ayings of
Mozi Mozi, personal name Mo Di, was a Chinese philosopher, logician, and founder of the Mohist school of thought, making him one of the most important figures of the Warring States period (221 BCE). Alongside Confucianism, Mohism became the ...
) mentions them with the legendary
Nine Tripod Cauldrons The Nine Tripod Cauldrons () were a collection of ding (vessel), ding in ancient China that were viewed as symbols of the authority given to the ruler by the Mandate of Heaven. According to the legend, they were cast by Yu the Great of the Xia dyn ...
, namely, a set of
Chinese ritual bronze From , elaborately decorated bronze vessels were deposited as grave goods in the tombs of royalty and nobility during the Chinese Bronze Age. Documented excavations have found over 200 pieces in a single royal tomb. They were produced for an indi ...
'' ding'' "tripod cauldrons", said to have been cast by mythical
Yu the Great Yu the Great or Yu the Engineer was a legendary king in ancient China who was credited with "the first successful state efforts at flood control", his establishment of the Xia dynasty, which inaugurated Dynasties in Chinese history, dynastic ru ...
after controlling the
Great Flood A flood myth or a deluge myth is a myth in which a great flood, usually sent by a deity or deities, destroys civilization, often in an act of divine retribution. Parallels are often drawn between the flood waters of these myths and the primeva ...
. In response to criticism from his disciple Wu Mazi (巫馬子) that "To leave contemporaries alone and to praise the early kings is to praise rotten bones", Mozi (c. 470–391 BCE) explains how a state's '' yi'' ("righteousness; justice") is more important than the ritual "efficacy" (''lì'', "benefit; profit") of its treasures.
The jade of Ho ��氏之璧 the pearl of Duke Sui, and the nine tings—these are what the feudal lords value as excellent treasures. Can they enrich the country, multiply the people, put the government in order, and place the state in safety? Of course they cannot. Excellent treasures are to be valued for their efficacy. Now since the jade of Ho, the pearl of Duke Sui, and the nine tings cannot benefit men, then they are not the excellent treasures in the world. On the other hand, if righteousness is employed in the government of the state the population will be increased, the government will be in order, and the state will be secure. The excellent treasures are to be valued for their efficacy. Now righteousness can benefit men. So then righteousness is the excellent treasure of the world. (Chapger 11)
The 3rd-century ''Hanfeizi'' ''Jie Lao'' (解老, "Explanations of ''
Laozi Laozi (), also romanized as Lao Tzu #Name, among other ways, was a semi-legendary Chinese philosophy, Chinese philosopher and author of the ''Tao Te Ching'' (''Laozi''), one of the foundational texts of Taoism alongside the ''Zhuangzi (book) ...
''") chapter uses He's jade annulus and Sui's pearl in order to differentiate between '' '' (
In traditional Confucian philosophy, is an ethical concept broadly translatable as 'rite'. According to Wing-tsit Chan, originally referred to religious sacrifices, but has come to mean 'ritual' in a broad sense, with possible translations in ...
, "ritual; ceremony; good form; propriety") and ''wén'' ( , "ornamentation; embellishment; elaboration; cultured").
Propriety is the mode expressive of feelings. Embellishment is the decoration of qualities. Indeed, the superior man takes the inner feelings but leaves the outer looks, likes the inner qualities but hates the outer decorations. Who judges inner feelings by outer looks, finds the feelings bad. Who judges inner qualities by outer decorations, finds the inner qualities rotten. How can I prove this? The jade of Pien Ho was not decorated with the five bright colours ��氏之璧不飾以五采 The bead of Marquis Sui was not decorated with yellow gold. Their qualities are so good that nothing is fit to decorate them. Verily, anything that functions only after being decorated must have poor qualities. For this reason, between father and son propriety is simple and not brilliant. Hence the saying: “Propriety is superficial semblance only.”
The c. 3rd–1st century BCE ''Chuci'' anthology collectively refers to Marquis Sui's pearl and Bian He's jade annulus as ''Sui He'' (隨和), and with the Tai'e sword. The "Quenching the Light" poem says, "Shards and stones are prized as jewels / Sui and He rejected ��棄隨和/ The leaden knife is praised for sharpness / Tai E discarded as blunt." King
Liu An Liú Ān (, c. 179–122 BC) was a Chinese cartographer, monarch, and philosopher. A Han dynasty Chinese prince, ruling the Huainan Kingdom, and an advisor to his nephew, Emperor Wu of Han (武帝). He is best known for editing the (139 BC) ''Hu ...
's c. 139 BCE ''
Huainanzi The ''Huainanzi'' is an ancient Chinese text made up of essays from scholarly debates held at the court of Liu An, Prince of Huainan, before 139 BCE. Compiled as a handbook for an enlightened sovereign and his court, the work attempts to defi ...
'' (Philosophers of Huainan) philosophical compendium has five occurrences of the ''Heshibi'', three with the Marquis of Sui's pearl, and one with the Xiahou clan's jade. The "Surveying Obscurities" chapter figuratively uses these legendary gems as a simile for someone who has attained the ''Tiandao'' (
天道 Tiandao (; Vietnamese: ''Thiên Đạo'', Japanese: ''Tendō'') is a Chinese word used in many philosophical and religious contexts in China and the Sinosphere, can refer specifically to: * Xiantiandao, a group of Chinese religions ** Yiguandao, a p ...
, Way of Heaven), "It is like the pearl of Marquis Sui ��侯之珠/ or the jade annulus of Mr. He ��氏之璧/ Those who achieved it became rich / those who lost it became poor." (Chapter 6.3). "A Mountain of Persuasions" chapter mentions the treasures of Mr. He and Marquis Sui twice. The former explains the philosophical essence of Chinese jade.
When a piece of jade is moistened, it looks bright. hen struck its sound is slow and harmonious. How expansive are its aspects! With no interior or exterior, it does not conceal its flaws or imperfections. Close up, it looks glossy; from a distance, it shines brightly. It reflects like a mirror revealing the pupil of your eye. Subtly it picks up the tip of an autumn hair. It brightly illuminates the dark and obscure. Thus the jade nnulusof Mr. He ��氏之璧and the pearl of the marquis of Sui ��侯之珠emerged from the essence of a mountain and a spring. When the Superior Man wears them, he complies with their purity and secures his repose. When lords and kings treasure them, they rectify the world. (Chapter 16.19)
The latter compares true understanding with wealth, "Acquiring an army of ten thousand men does not compare to hearing one word that is apposite / acquiring the pearl of the marquis of Sui ��侯之珠does not compare to understanding from whence events arise / Acquiring the jade annulus of Mr. Gua ��氏之璧does not compare to understanding where events will lead." (Chapter 16.105) The ''Huainanzi'' mentions the ''Heshibi'' along with the Xiahou clan's semi-circular jade. "As for itual emblems likethe jade annulus of Mr. He ��氏之璧and the jade half-annulus of the Xiahou clan ��后之璜" if ourtiersbow courteously and advance with them, they create harmony and amity. utat night because of thieves, they create resentment. Such is the difference between the right time and the wrong time." (Chapter 16.90)


Other regalia

Many
Chinese classics The Chinese classics or canonical texts are the works of Chinese literature authored prior to the establishment of the imperial Qin dynasty in 221 BC. Prominent examples include the Four Books and Five Classics in the Neo-Confucian traditi ...
refer to Bian He's jade annulus in context with other legendary gems, jades, and swords constituting the ceremonial
regalia Regalia ( ) is the set of emblems, symbols, or paraphernalia indicative of royal status, as well as rights, prerogatives and privileges enjoyed by a sovereign, regardless of title. The word originally referred to the elaborate formal dress and ...
of ancient Chinese states. The most common example is Marquis of Sui's pearl, a legendary glow-in-the-dark gemstone given to the marquis by a grateful snake whose life he saved. Other luminous gemstones frequently mentioned with the ''Heshibi'' are the ''Yeguangzhibi'' (夜光之璧, "night-shining jade annulus") and the ''Míngyuèzhīzhū'' (明月之珠, "bright-/luminous-moon pearl"). These ancient Chinese names were sufficiently well known to have been applied to foreign gemstones in the earliest accounts of Daqin (the
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...
). "The Kingdom of Daqin" section of the 5th-century ''
Book of the Later Han The ''Book of the Later Han'', also known as the ''History of the Later Han'' and by its Chinese name ''Hou Hanshu'' (), is one of the Twenty-Four Histories and covers the history of the Han dynasty from 6 to 189 CE, a period known as the Lat ...
'', which was largely based on Ban Yong's report presented to Emperor An of Han in around 125, lists precious Roman trade goods including "luminous jade ��光璧 and "bright moon pearls ��月珠. The ''Heshibi'' is mentioned in the Huainanzi with the Xiahou clan's semi-circular jade pendant: ''Xiahoushi zhi huang'' (夏后氏之璜), which was a jewel supposedly included in the ducal regalia of Lu state. '' Xiàhòu'' ( 夏后) is a
Chinese compound surname A Chinese compound surname is a Chinese surname using more than one character. Many of these compound surnames derive from Zhou dynasty Chinese noble and official titles, professions, place names and other areas, to serve a purpose. Some are or ...
from the
Spring and Autumn period The Spring and Autumn period () was a period in History of China, Chinese history corresponding roughly to the first half of the Eastern Zhou (256 BCE), characterized by the gradual erosion of royal power as local lords nominally subject t ...
(771–476 BCE), and the '' huáng'' ( , "semi-circular jade pendant") was anciently used for ritual purposes or as a belt ornament. Tai'e or Tai'a (太阿) is the name of a famous Spring and Autumn period iron sword that is usually considered one of the ten legendary swords of China. The legendary bladesmith Ou Yezi made three swords for King Goujian of Yue, named Tài'ē (泰阿), Lóngyuān (龍渊), and Gōngbù (工布).


See also

*
Heirloom Seal of the Realm The Heirloom Seal of the Realm (), also known in English as the Imperial Seal of China, was a Chinese jade seal allegedly carved out of the '' Heshibi'', a sacred piece of jade.The Complete Collection of Treasures of the Palace Museum, Beijing ...
*
Nine Tripod Cauldrons The Nine Tripod Cauldrons () were a collection of ding (vessel), ding in ancient China that were viewed as symbols of the authority given to the ruler by the Mandate of Heaven. According to the legend, they were cast by Yu the Great of the Xia dyn ...


Notes


References


Further reading

* *


External links


The Difficulty of Pien Ho
Liao 1939 translation.
A Tale of Two Treasures
Adventures in translation, 3 April 2012.

People's Daily Online, 4 June 2014. {{Qin dynasty topics Chinese legends Chu (state) Cultural history of China Jade