Dragon-shaped pendant (pei), China, Warring States Period (approx. 480-221 BCE). Nephrite. H. 1 3/4 in x W. 3 in. The Avery Brundage Collection, B60J522 © 2017 Asian Art Museum Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture.

This dragon-shaped pei contrasts rather strongly with the example discussed above (#36) and represents either a regional variation or a parallel development in surface ornamentation. This beast has a rather large head with a long snout and large horn; and a long serpentine body with what appears to be four legs. The sharply curved and pointed appendage in the middle of the back is difficult to explain as part of the animal's anatomy. In many examples such a form would represent a split tail. In this case it would be badly misplaced as such.

However, it is in the surface decoration where there example differs most greatly with those discussed above. Rather than a uniform overall pattern of abstract motifs, this animal is decorated with elements that relate directly to the parts of the body they represent. The snout is covered with fine parallel lines which differentiate it from the area around the eye. The eye is no longer just a simple circle or oval, but instead is very much eye-like in shape. Much of the body is covered with scale-like motifs; some of these are further decorated with cross-hatch patterns or parallel lines, others are plain. The back part of the body is decorated with finely incised parallel lines that are at a slight diagonal to the curve of the body. The surface is shallowly worked with none of the motifs appearing to be significantly above or below it.

This moderately thick piece is cut from light green to yellow Khotan jade. As with most pieces of the Warring States period, the stone is of very high qualilty, uniform in color and with few, if any, inclusions. The surface has been altered during burial with broad bands of white and almost lavender stains.

1. Lam, no. 154
2. Loo, plate XXV, no. 3
3. Zhongguo Yuqi Chuanji, vol 4, p. 48, plate 59
4. Ayers, no. 118
5. Rawson, "The Surface Decoration on Jades of the Chou and Han 
Dynasties," p. 49, fig 32.