昆仑有玉,向心中华——远古时代和田玉用途初探

Jade in Kunlun, a symbol of China——A preliminary probe into Functions of Hetian Jade back in Ancient time

在中国文化中,'昆仑'象征着国脉,出自昆仑山脉的和田玉由于其质地细腻温润,被视为玉中精品,国之礼器,备受皇家推崇。但在新石器时期的和田地区,和田玉由于具有坚硬的质地,具有很强的抗磨蚀及抗击打的特点,因而被当地居民作为打磨器,砍砸器等生产工具来使用。这种将玉石作为生产工具的文化与新时期时期中原地区已经将玉石作为祭祀用的礼器的文化有很大的差别。但并不妨碍和田玉作为制作玉器的原材料流入中原,成为中华玉文化中的重要组成。

'Kunlung'symbolizes foundation of China in the national culture,while Hetian Jade,originated from mountains of Kunlung,is regarded as the supreme jade for its fine and smooth tactile impression,has been long worshiped by ruling class and used as a sacrificial utensil in dynasties in the central China in ancient time even earlier in New Stone Age.In Hetian region,however,Hetian Jade was just taken by local people as grinding and chopping tool in New Stone Age because of hardness,strong abrasion-resistance and strike-resistance.Although the culture-with jade as production tool-was quite different from that as sacrificial utensils in the central China,Hetian Jade never stopped its pace into the central China as raw material of jade wares and eventually becomes the key component of Chinese jade culture.