Bi disc

A good-quality green hetian jade like this deserved to be carved by a more skilled artisan. The design on one side is composed of variations of raised C patterns. The other side is rendered with lines of raised bosses. The inner and outer edges on both sides have a narrow raised border.The entire design suggests a typical Han style.

The raised boss is the basic feature in four related motifs on jades from the Warring States Period through the Han dynasty: a C shape consisting of two bosses connected by an incised line; an S shape with an incised line; a comma with an incised tail; and an unembellished nipple. The first two are generally associated with clouds in the immortal paradise. The third is called either the cloud or the "curled silkworm" design. The last is traditionally defined as the "nipple boss" or the "grain decor," which appeared on early bronzes. The grain design was most often used on Han jades, as evidenced by pieces from tombs in Hebei (Zgyqqj 1993, vol. 4, plates 207, 241).

The craftwork of this piece is far below the skill level of the Han period. The nipple bosses are formed in irregular sizes on a roughly worked background and are not arranged in straight columns. The rims of the raised border edges are uneven and not properly beveled. Han bi with the grain design are still popular models for copies today, but the design can be executed better with modern tools