Name：Gilding Jade Pillow with Bronze Frame

Time：【Western Han dynasty】

Size：Length: 37.1 cm. Width: 16 cm. Height: 11.4 cm.

Source：Excavated from No.1 tomb at Houloushan

This is a long square box - shaped jade pillow, divided into two parts: pillow body and pillow frame. The pillow frame is made of bronze gilt and consists of a four-dragon device and a base. The dragon head is high, the front claw of the dragon is upright, the body of the dragon and the tail of the dragon are cast at the bottom of the pillow frame, and the border of the pillow frame is engraved with fine scroll moire pattern.

The pillow body is composed of a wood core, jade piece, gilt copper and gold foil, which is placed on the frame. The wood core in the middle of the pillow has decayed and should have been rectangular with a layer of silk or cloth. The top is decorated with 2 pieces of dragon-shaped jade and 6 pieces of small jade. The dragon-shaped jade pieces are decorated with Yin line engraved vortex pattern and some places are hollow. The two ends are made of 3 jade pieces and 1 gilt copper head. The center is a semicircle jade piece, which is made of grain jade. Gilding bronze beast head ring places in the middle of a semicircular jade piece. The inner side is composed of 8 jade pieces, and the middle jade piece is decorated with Gu grain. There is a small round hole in the center of the arch end, and according to its shape, it can be judged that the jade piece may be made of dragon jade pendant or jade Huang (a kind of semi-circle jade). In the middle of the outer side is a gilt rectangular copper frame, which is inlaid with 4 pieces of jade and 2 pieces of bronze head rings. In Han dynasty, Taoism thought and the concept of immortal soul prevailed. The bronze frame on the outside of the jade pillow should be the symbol of the door frame in real life, which may be the gateway for the souls of the dead. The pillow was trimmed with gold leaf.

The whole jade pillow modelling is unique and the dragon grain design and 4 dragons on the pillow frame are full of move feeling. The pillow body and pillow frame are fixed with sockets, which can be disassembled at any time, which is unique. The pillow frame and the bronze decoration are all fine gild, and the pillow body still sticks with gold foil, indicating a sense of unusual luxury. Houloushan Han tomb belongs to the tomb of the king of Chu at Beidongshan.  In addition to the jade pillow, jade masks, jade Han, jade Xi, jade pendant and other objects, which shows that the owner has a high social status, are also found there.

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