CUI Shijia and HAN Ding...................................................79 

A Study on the Evolution of Feiya 

Abstract：The origins of fei ya（tooth-shaped protrusions）can be traced back to the mid-Dawenkou culture, where they first appeared on jade discs （ya bi） as single-tooth projections. By the Shandong Longshan culture, fei ya had evolved into the“jie”-shaped forms. During the Longshan period, fei ya extended to other types of jade artifacts, which, based on their function and use, can be categorized into three groups: weapons, ritual objects, and ornaments. In the Erlitou culture, the range of artifacts adorned with fei ya decreased, but this expanded again during the Shang dynasty. By the Western Zhou period, some artifact types featuring fei ya disappeared, and in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the forms of fei ya became increasingly abstract. In terms of form, fei ya can be classified into three main types: tooth-like,“jie”-shaped, and serrated. The first two types further developed into various subtypes. Regarding decorative patterns, two styles emerged: integrative and independent. The integrative style appears on animal-themed jade artifacts, while the independent style is more common on composite jade artifacts from the Shang and Western Zhou periods. During the Shang dynasty, fei ya decorations also appeared on bone, ivory, and shell artifacts, as well as bronze objects featuring raised fei-ridges. These decorative concepts and forms are believed to have originated from jade fei ya.

JI Pengya................................................................................92 

A Contextual Analysis of Jade and Stone Bi in Qijia Culture Tombs 

Abstract：Jade and stone bi discs associated with sacrificial and funerary ceremonies have been discovered in the tombs of key Qijia culture sites, including Lajia, Huangniangniangtai, Haizang, Donglongshan, and Laoniupo. The sacrificial jade artifacts, exemplified by finds at Lajia, reflect a primitive religious belief in connecting heaven with ancestors. In contrast, the funerary jade artifacts from Huangniangniangtai, Haizang, Donglongshan, and Laoniupo may be linked to the individuals involved in their production, with clear hierarchical distinctions among their social identities. These include upper-level managers or senior craftsmen, ordinary workers tasked with specific production activities, and low-status workers close to slavery. Jade and stone bi discs demonstrate a growing association with funerary practices, serving as burial bi for the deceased. Their roles were multifaceted—they were used as adornments, tools for corpse gathering, symbols of wealth, and markers of social status. Additionally, they played a ritualistic role in opening and closing the tomb, facilitating the deceased’s spiritual transformation and journey. Ultimately, they embodied the worship of heaven and ancestors and reflected the funerary belief in guiding the soul to ascend to the heavens.

GAO Xisheng.....................................................................107 

The Music, Songs, and Dragon Dance of the Xia Royal Family at Erlitou 

Abstract：Based on the study and analysis of the jade-tongued bronze bell, turquoise dragon, and turquoise dragon-patterned bronze plaques unearthed at Erlitou, this paper argues that large-scale ritual performances involving music and dance—China’s earliest dragon dance—had already emerged within the royal court of the Xia dynasty. The combination of jade artifacts, bronze objects, and large-scale ritual music and dance （including dragon dances） performed in unison and resonance forms a unique state-level ritualistic landscape in the first royal capital. This embodies the distinctive charm of early Chinese state ritual and musical civilization centered on worship. The royal court of Erlitou established the foundational model of large-scale state ritual music and dance, characterized by comprehensive combinations of jade, turquoise, bronze, and turquoise-inlaid bronze artifacts, as well as music, song, and dragon dances. This ritual system had an unprecedented influence, scale, and longevity, deeply shaping the ceremonial life of the Three Dynasties’royal courts, where the resonance of gold and jade was omnipresent.

ZHAO Yanmei et al. .......................................................116 

Discovery of the“Fengnute”Han Stone Carvings in Suide 

Abstract：In October 2008, two Han dynasty pictorial stone doorposts featuring the“Bird Beak-Bull Head” deity were discovered north of Yanjiacha Village, Mingzhou Town, Suide County, Shaanxi Province. These finely crafted images are composed in a symmetrical layout with partitioned panels and employ a flat relief technique with ink-painted details. Notably, the inscription“Feng Nu Te”in seal script carved in relief on the right side of the bull-headed deity provides valuable visual and textual materials for the study of bull-headed deity doorposts in Han tombs of northern Shaanxi. This discovery holds significant value for historical research.

HE Zhiguo.........................................................................120 

Questioning the Date Inscription on the Stone Elephants of Kongwang Mountain 

Abstract：Ji Dakai claimed to have discovered an inscription reading“Yongping Fourth Year（61）, Fourth Month”from Emperor Ming of Han on the underside of the left foreleg of the stone elephant at Kongwang Mountain. He proposed that this dated the Buddhist statues at Kongwang Mountain to the early Eastern Han period, redefining the origins of Buddhist statues in China. However, the so-called“inscription”is actually a series of roughly parallel, irregular horizontal chisel marks. The legend of Emperor Ming of Han dreaming of a golden figure emerged during the Han-Wei period. The earliest Buddhist statues in China are the money tree statues from the mid-Eastern Han period（early 2nd century）. The Kongwang Mountain statues bear a resemblance to Eastern Han Buddhist statues from Sichuan and may have been influenced by them.

YANG yang et al. ..........................................................129 

A Reconsideration of the Molding Techniques at the Jingdezhen Kiln during the Song Dynasty 

Abstract：This paper focuses on the molding tools used in Jingdezhen kilns during the Song Dynasty. Through technical analysis, these tools can be categorized into two types: molding cores and molds. The two types exhibit distinct textural differences, likely corresponding to their specific functional purposes. Additionally, this study explores the origins of molding technology in the Jingdezhen kilns by comparing the chronology of molded products. The findings indicate that Jingdezhen kilns were influenced by contemporary metal forging techniques and, successively, by the molding technologies of the Yaozhou and Ding kilns. The influence of Yaozhou kiln technology appears to have been relatively superficial, while the impact of Ding kiln techniques became more profound during the later period.

TANG Li...........................................................................137 

A Study of the Rubbings of the Qianlong Imperial Edition of the Stone Classics Collected by the Confucius Museum 

Abstract：Several different versions of the Qianlong Stone Classics rubbings have been passed down due to the modifications made to a small number of characters on the stone inscriptions. This paper examines Shijing Kaowen Tiyao, Qinding Shijing Kaowen Tiyao Juzheng, and other related texts, along with the textual collation of extant stone classics rubbings. It discusses the two rounds of modifications to the inscriptions, the initial rubbings of the stone classics housed in the Confucius Museum, and the basis and scope of textual changes in the rubbings. These analyses provide evidence and verification for the identification of initial rubbings and their versions of the Qianlong Stone Classics, offering significant value for textual research on the Qianlong Stone Classics.