Bi (jade)
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The bi (Chinese: 璧; pinyin: bì; Wade-Giles: pi) is a form of jade artifact from ancient China. The earliest bi were produced in the Neolithic period, particularly by the Liangzhu culture (3400-2250 BC). Later examples date mainly from the Shang, Zhou and Han dynasties.
A bi is a flat jade disc with a circular hole in the centre. Neolithic bi are undecorated, while those of later periods bear increasingly ornate surface carving.
The original function and significance of the bi are unknown, as the neolithic cultures had no writing. Bi are sometimes found near the stomach and chest in neolithic burials. Later traditions associate the bi with heaven, and the cong with the earth.
