1-234-106 - The Museum of East Asian Art/Heritage Images

Lychee-flesh white jade hair chignon and pin, Northern Song-Ming dynasty, China, 960-1644. A chignon of fine lychee-flesh jade. The sides are pierced for pin and for circulation of air, the rest is plain but unusually a flap extends at the rear. Fine quality jade of this prized lychee-flesh colour was available during most of the Northern Song period particularly from 951-1028, but thereafter was available less and less and ceased to be available altogether in the Ming after Emperor Xuande. The pin dates from the Ming dynasty (1368-1644).