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This type of jade disc (bi) was found primarily in burials and buried caches. According to ancient Chinese cosmology, heaven is regarded as a circle and the earth a square. A jade bi thus represented the circular heaven. It was believed that placing these discs on the deceased body would protect it from evil spirits and ghosts and also confer prosperity and security in the afterlife.

Page data

Page
1
Source index
0
Type
photo
Media ID
abf4c6b5b99e7ad2
Size
unknown

Document data

ID
16542
Core
obj
Type
object
DTO data
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    "stage": "normalized",
    "title": "Disc (Bi)",
    "description": "This type of jade disc (bi) was found primarily in burials and buried caches. According to ancient Chinese cosmology, heaven is regarded as a circle and the earth a square. A jade bi thus represented the circular heaven. It was believed that placing these discs on the deceased body would protect it from evil spirits and ghosts and also confer prosperity and security in the afterlife.",
    "provenance": "Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1916, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.",
    "date": "3rd millennium BC (Neolithic)",
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        }
    ],
    "dimensionsRaw": "Diam: 5 3/8 × D: 1 1/4 in. (13.7 × 3.2 cm)"
}

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Document identity
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    "label": "Disc (Bi)",
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Document source metadata
{
    "id": "16542",
    "sourceUrl": "https://purl.thewalters.org/art/42.317",
    "contentType": "object",
    "stage": "normalized",
    "title": "Disc (Bi)",
    "description": "This type of jade disc (bi) was found primarily in burials and buried caches. According to ancient Chinese cosmology, heaven is regarded as a circle and the earth a square. A jade bi thus represented the circular heaven. It was believed that placing these discs on the deceased body would protect it from evil spirits and ghosts and also confer prosperity and security in the afterlife.",
    "provenance": "Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1916, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.",
    "date": "3rd millennium BC (Neolithic)",
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        }
    ],
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Document source extras
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    "cul": "Chinese",
    "med": "jade",
    "creator_ids": [
        "6238"
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    "collection_ids": [
        "CHN",
        "PRE"
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    "exhibition_ids": []
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Page context
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