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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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"contentType": "object",
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"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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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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Document source extras
{
"cul": "Chinese",
"med": "jade",
"creator_ids": [
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Page context
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