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Re: Mercury Colouring
Posted By: wingchuntaiji
Posted Date: Feb 11, 2009 (01:27 PM)
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I 'll talk about the different Keng-types of burials that the traditional jade collectors attribute under a new thread.

We need to know the difference between Da Keng(large burial) and Xiao Keng(small burial). Da Keng were for the imperial family and high-ranking officials especially those who were given land and titles of King, Duke, Marquise, Count, Viscount, Barron, etc. Xiao Keng were for wealthy tycoons. Poor people might not even have jade in their burials.

The ancient people used a much larger volume of liquid mercury in a Da Keng. They used smaller amount of mercury in a Xiao Keng. The liquid mercury sank to the bottom of the burials, thus staining the jades. The degree of black mercury permeation indicates the kind of burial and the age of the jades. Most Hei Qi Gu should weigh heavier than the jades that have no permeation because mercury is a dense mineral that increases the weight of the jades after the permeation.

Hei Qi Gu or jades with heavy mercury permeation(those that were not fully-absorbed with mercury but show windows of the original material were mostly from Da Keng. For the jades that only show sporadic tiny spots of dark mercury permeation or no mercury permeation, they were mostly from Xiao Keng.

The intensity of the mercury permeation indicates the age of the jade. Mercury were widely used since Xia, Shang and Zhou. The Tang Hei Qi Gu usually appear less intense than the Han or Warring States Hei Qi Gu because the longer the permeation, the more intense the color. Song and Yuan Hei Qi Gu appear even lighter in color.

Understand these things can help identify and determine the age of jade. Artificial black dye would fade and left behind the dye that trapped in the veins of fissures of the jades. Real Hei Qi Gu has a crisp hand feel just like other Sheng Keng when dry. Artificial dye or painted black color on the jade surface do not feel the same. Anyway, an old jade and a jade with new work do not feel the same in the hand!




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