Another function of the jade implements apart from being a ceremonial article it is an imperial token used for issuing ministers with state assignments. Traditionally an emperor would dispatch his nobles with presenting them with a token as a symbol of royal decree.

 These tokens however were easily counterfeited and after the third century BC tokens were designed in a more complex shape of a tiger.

 These token consisted of two halves one halves kept by the noble and the other half-kept by the imperial court. To verify to authenticity of the commission from court the two halves of the token were pieced together to ensure that they corresponded.

 Not all jade articles served ceremonial function many are purely ornamental the most exquisite of ancient jade articles are the beautifully carved decorated ornamentals worn as hair pins and combs necklace and charms or in jewelry that set in whey fashions and clothing.

 Before jade was discovered the ancient Chinese wore bone and ivory ornaments. Jade accessory later imitated the ancient forms and motifs capturing the same raw beauty and freedom of primitive ornaments.

 Jade decorative ornaments come in a variety of intricate forms from the elegant decorative hairpin to the ornate studs on outfits. Skillfully rendered pendant which featured carved insects and animal forms figurines worn on garters also served as officious talons to off evil spirits.

 Jade ornaments symbolized the aristocracy bearing of a Chinese gentleman but not only in his outer appearance but in his disposition. According to an age old Chinese saying a gentleman must be refined as fine jade.

 Hence a gentleman's accessories’ including his belt claps and his archery fingers were usually made from jade.

 Swards and shivers were also inlayed with intricate jade carving and plaques, as were walking sticks and buckles.

 Believed to possess the ultimate quality of immortality and perfection jade articles were often interned in tomb to preserve bodies from decay.

 They were inserted into the ears of the deceased and enclosed in the palms of their hands they were also inserted into the mouth of the deceased since cicadas were believed to be reborn after they shed there skins thus symbolizing the hope of an afterlife.

 In recent years these burial artifacts have provided invaluable clues about ancient Chinese superstition and burial practices.

 The jade ornaments, which have been unearthed, are mostly disc shaped including patrimonial ornaments imperial tokens decorative ornaments and burial artifacts.

 Jade ornaments were also made for entertainment purposes percussion instruments and sash hue and dance sequences ancient fighting tools were often rendered beautifully in jade.

 Wall decoration from brush stands to ink slabs to imitation fruit bouquets are all jade masterpiece rendered in various color and shapes and sizes.

 Carved in the finest stone jade decorative articles are usually ornate with complex themes and motifs.

 Ceremonial utensils on the other hand are usually plain slabs with smooth surfaces.

 These however have proven to be a treasure mind of archaeological information.

 Jade ornaments come in a fascinated array of shapes and sizes each with its own geometric requirement.

 Shaped like a flat disc the pea consist of a sound body called a Jue and a hole called a Huan; the Jue is whiter then the Huan.

 A Yuan is shaped like a Pi but the Huan and the halo are equally wide.

 A Yuan is relatively larger hole; the halo being wider than the Pi

 A Jue is a jade ring with a small segment cut off.

 In other words a Pi is proportionally wider than a Huan, which is wider than a Yuan.

 Examples of pea are the Liu Rui and Liu Qi ornaments prized by the aristocracies.

 The elegant Huan and Yuan are ideal for making jewelry and ornaments.

 The Huan has been used for imperial tokens or warn as decorative ornaments on Wei fashions as earrings.

 The Cong rectangular utensils with a cylinder hallow center are often design in the same cubic motif.

 Traditional to make sacrificial ornaments the Chinese would string an assortment of jade pieces together which was later replaced by a single jade Cong the notches on the Cong tally's the number of smaller jade pieces that it represent a miniature tong is called a Lau.

 In this national palace museum collection there are three priceless examples a Cong, which represents 17 smaller jade pieces, and anther, which represents 6 pieces the smallest of the jade ornaments, is a penannular.  

 The tong represents female qualities and was often used for sacrificial rites. The Qui on the other hand represents more masculine qualities probably due to the history of its origin.

 Its prototype is the indispensable ancient stone axe a chariest and vital implement in primitive society. Later when society evolved and became more complex the former tool took on a powerful symbolic value.

Resembling a stone axe the Qui was adopted by the imperial court as a ceremonial utensils. The once clumsy tool was modified into a gracefully elongated jade instrument with a square base and a pointed top.

Two invaluable Qui pieces housed in the national palace museum date from the 18 to the 11-century BC, both are outstanding examples of lapidary art inscribe with verses by Ching emperor Gan Long.