HO CHI MINH CITY – About 200 jade artifacts, from the 18th and 19th centuries, were first introduced to the audience at the exhibition “Pearl Shape”, on August 30.
The exhibition is organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of History on the 43rd anniversary of its establishment. The event displays 221 antiques, coming from many cultures of China, Vietnam, Japan, Thailand, Laos…, of which ancient jade is mainly from China. About 80% of the artifacts were first introduced in the country. The two key collections of the exhibition are the jade stone set by Victor Thomas Holbé (1857-1927) – collected from the late 19th century to the early 20th century, and the collection of the family of doctor Duong Quynh Hoa (the set) Minister of Health of the Provisional Government of the Republic of South Vietnam) – collected in the 1930s and 1940s.
According to Mr. Hoang Anh Tuan, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of History, jade in Eastern culture symbolizes wealth and power. Jade artifacts are often revered for their meaning of eternity, mysticism, and blessings. “We organize the exhibition on ancient jade because Victor Thomas Holbé’s collection is the premise to form the Blanchard de la Brosse Museum, the predecessor of the Ho Chi Minh City History Museum today,” said Mr. Tuan. In 2021, the unit also introduces antique collections but in an online form.
The Nhu Y Stick belongs to the group of artifacts representing the power and status of the ancients. In feudal times, the wish-fulfilling jade stick was a symbolic treasure of kings and aristocrats, considered to bring money and luck to the owner. The Chinese codification of the Ming and Qing dynasties stipulates that the son of heaven (the king) holds Tran Khue, and the vassals hold the stick of Nhu Y. In Vietnam, during the Nguyen Dynasty, the Nhu Y stick was also an inseparable object of the Crown Prince. Sticks often have a curved shape, with rich patterns like orchid pots – meaning integrity, nobility, deer, cranes, Ganoderma lucidum – symbolizing blessings and wishes for a long life.The jade belt hook is also an artifact that attracts visitors. Hooks date back to the Spring and Autumn period (772-481 BC) in China, symbolizing the wealth of the owner. Hooks are made of many materials such as crystal, onyx, jade, gold, silver… After being replaced by belt buckles, to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) ), crochet is in vogue again by lovers of ancient culture. During this period, hooks were usually made of white jade, engraved with Hong Son dragons, Chihu tiger dragons, etc., often given by the emperor to loyal servants.Archery rings were originally associated with archers in ancient China. The ring is worn on the thumb of the hand pulling the bowstring. In addition to protecting the finger, the ring also helps control the string accurately, helping the archer to hit the target from the horse’s back running at high speed. By the end of the 18th century, during the Qing Dynasty, archery was no longer considered important, and the archer’s ring gradually became a form of jewelry and a symbol of the powerful.Cereal container used in sacrifices (in Chinese, Fund), with handles on both sides decorated with dragon images. Artifacts used to be used to store cooked rice, millet, and vermicelli in ritual ceremonies. The motifs on the antiques reflect cultural periods, from the ancient Hong Son to the Qing Dynasty. The dragon posture is also diverse, sometimes clinging to the mouth of the cup, the body is flexible around the wall, sometimes clinging from the body of the cup to the mouth of the cup.Tran Phong used to be used to block wind and light with diverse materials: jade, blue-green, brick, wood…. Not only meaningful in feng shui, but also used as interior decoration. With jade material, artisans often sculpt ancient relics in Chinese culture, engrave Chinese calligraphy and Buddhist scriptures, and then polish to show the stone veins on the motifs.The artifacts are office furniture such as pen tubes, often carved with dragon and herb themes…The jade pendant has a chain section that is crafted so that the rings hang together naturally.The fairies are highly sculpted by experts.Many antiques are displayed with quotations and couplets of the ancients.Mr. Hoang Anh Tuan (blue shirt) – Director of Ho Chi Minh City Museum of History – introduced each artifact to the guests. The organizers hope that the event will help the public understand more about the technique of making jade objects by ancient artisans, thereby appreciating the value of humanity’s cultural heritage.The exhibition – open until November 30 – is divided into six compartments with six groups of artifacts, including a group of sacrificial grain containers, a group for worship, a group of four treasures, a security guard, and a display group. power (jewel stick, archer’s ring), another group (seal, jade pendant)…
