Date: Yuan (1271-1368)

Dimensions: Height 4.6 cm, Diameter of base 3.8×4.6 cm

Material: Jade

Unearthed from the Cemetery of the Ren Renfa family, Qingpu District, Shanghai

• Object Type：
  • JADE
• Location：
  • Ancient Chinese Jade Gallery
• Tag：
  • finial egret lotus pond yuan jade cemetery shanghai

The function of jade finials is still in discussion as implied by their denominations, maoding (a hat finial) and luding (a finial for a censor lid). Maodings flourished in the Yuan dynasty as an indicator of identity. They were often converted in ludings to decorate archaistic bronzes after the Ming court abolished the Yuan code of costumes. They both have decorative and utilitarian functions.