Jade Dragon in Hongshan Culture

Hongshan Yulong hook, long mouth closed, long kiss. Its nose protrudes forward, its upper edge is inclined, its end face is flattened, and it has two nostrils side by side. It has long hair on its neck and a pointed tail, which is rolled up. Its shape resembles the word "dragon" in Oracle Bone Inscriptions. Yulong is dark green, curly, flat like "C", oval in cross section and 2.3 ~ 2.9 cm in diameter. The dragon's head is short and small, the kiss is extended forward, slightly pouted, the mouth is closed, the nose is truncated, the end face is nearly oval, and there are two symmetrical round holes as nostrils. Longan is prismatic, with a round front end and a slender upturned tail. There is a long ring on the back of the neck, which is curved and rolled up, with a length of 2 1 cm, accounting for more than one third of the dragon's body. Beads are flat and thin, with inconspicuous shallow grooves and sharp edges. Most of the dragon's body has no lines, only the forehead and the bottom of the jaw are carved with fine grid-like patterns, and the grid-like protrusions are regular small diamonds. Jade Dragon is carved from a whole piece of jade, and the details are polished in relief and bas-relief. There is a hole in the center of gravity of Yulong, which is hoisted by ropes at the beginning and end, which shows the development level of jade carving technology at that time. Hongshan Yulong is unique in shape, exquisite in craftsmanship, smooth and full of vitality. The mysterious implication of jade dragon load adds a layer of beauty to it. It is worth noting that the image of Yulong has a strong fantasy color and has shown many factors of mature dragon shape.

The specific use of Hongshan Yulong needs further discussion, and it may be a ritual vessel for sacrifice. There is a small hole in the middle of the dragon's back. After the test, if you hang it with a rope, the tail of the keel is just at the same level. Obviously, the location of the hole is calculated accurately. Considering the huge shape and special shape of Yulong, it is not only an ordinary ornament, but also a ritual vessel closely related to the primitive religious worship in China.