Vessel (gong)

A gong in gray jade borrows its shape and decoration from earlier bronze and jade prototypes. The form of the vessel, the narrow band around the top, and the multiple-section body relate to metal prototypes. The open spirals on the surface are derived from designs found on jades of the Warring States Period. The chi dragons (young, scaleless dragons) are found on ceramics, metal works, and jades in archaistic forms starting in the Han dynasty. The bottom of the piece is actually the head of a very large, upside-down dragon. Its gaping jaws and large teeth bite into the middle section of the vessel; long tendrils reach back from its snout; its bulging eyes and eyebrows connect to a protruding forehead; and two horns sprouting from the forehead serve as the base of the vessel. The dragon's body continues up the reverse side of the vessel and merges into the chi dragon that forms the handle. This melding of elements from a variety of sources is common in archaistic jades of the early and middle Qing dynasty.