A SET OF ELEVEN INCISED AND GILT JADE ‘IMMORTAL BANQUET’ BELT PLAQUES WITH GILT SILVER MOUNTS, LIAO DYNASTY
This lot is from a single owner collection and is therefore offered without reserve

Published:
1. Myrna Myers (ed.) & Filippo Salviati (auth.), The Language of Adornment. Chinese Ornaments of Jade, Crystal, Amber and Glass, Paris, 2002, no. 112. Shown on the cover.
2. Jean-Paul Desroches (ed.) et al, Two Americans in Paris. A Quest for Asian Art, Paris, 2016, p. 98, no. 202.

Exhibited:
1. Pointe-à-Callière Museum, From the Lands of Asia. The Sam and Myrna Myers Collection, Montréal, 17 November 2016-19 March 2017.
2. Kimbell Art Museum, From the Lands of Asia. The Sam and Myrna Myers Collection, Fort Worth, Texas, 4 March-19 August 2018.

China, 10th-11th century. Each of rectangular form and boldly carved in relief with incised and richly gilt accents. The translucent stones of a celadon tone with brown shadings, russet inclusions, grayish-white clouds, and icy veins. (11)

Comprising two groups of plaques, each decorated with identical figures oriented in opposing directions. The two terminal plaques depicting a seated man of portly stature, resting one arm on a cushion placed upon a low table while raising a cup, evoking a banquet scene. The remaining plaques featuring various attendants carrying trays with offerings, cross-legged musicians playing the sheng (mouth organ), and a young man holding a flask. All figures are attired in the characteristic loose-fitting tunics, long trousers, and headwear typical of Central Asian dress from the period.

Provenance: The Collection of Sam and Myrna Myers, Paris, France. Acquired between circa 1965-2012.
Condition: Good condition with expected wear, manufacturing irregularities, traces of use, rubbing and losses to gilt, soil encrustations, few minuscule nicks, small surface scratches, remnants of ancient leather and fabric, the jades with few minor losses, natural fissures, and thin hairline cracks. The complete set shows a beautiful and solid naturally grown patina overall.

Weight: 287.8 g
Dimensions: Length 3.3 to 5.5 cm

The present belt set represents a synthesis of two cultural traditions: the Nomadic and the Chinese. As a dress accessory, the belt reflects the nomadic heritage of the Liao, while the choice of jade is distinctly Chinese. Leather belts adorned with plaques became standard dress accessories among the nomadic and semi-nomadic peoples living north of the Chinese heartland as early as the 8th century BC, as evidenced by archaeological finds in Liaoning and Inner Mongolia. While serving a practical purpose, these decorated belts also functioned as symbols of social status.

Belts made of jade plaques sewn together appeared in China around the 3rd or 4th century AD and were likely derived from gold and silver prototypes used in the steppe regions. They were quickly adapted into the traditional Chinese dress code and produced in a variety of materials, with jade being the most significant. According to the Ming hui yao (Essential Regulations of the Ming Dynasty): ‘Those of the first rank wear jade belts; those of the second rank have patterned belts [...]’. These belts gained popularity during the Tang dynasty, particularly due to the abundant jade resources in Khotan, located in the Tarim Basin. During this period, belts were crafted from gold, jade, or gilt bronze and embellished with a range of motifs. The emperor bestowed jade-adorned belts upon nobles and high-ranking officials as integral elements of their official attire.

Jade plaques featuring images of Central Asian tribute bearers and musicians are documented from the Tang period. The servants and musicians depicted on these plaques may be interpreted as attendants of the Queen Mother of the West, alluding to the Paradise of the Immortals. They were believed to bestow auspicious and protective qualities upon the wearer. These motifs were not merely “exotic” but should be understood within a religious or auspicious context—a principle that also applies to Liao dynasty belts. It is difficult to imagine that a semi-nomadic pastoral people who consciously resisted full sinicization would perceive images of Central Asian figures as exotic or alien. Thus, the motifs carved into the jade belt elements should be seen as reflective of the Liao themselves and their cultural origins. When worn, the belt figuratively and literally surrounded its owner with these symbolic figures, offering both protection and cultural affirmation.

Literature comparison:
Compare a related, slightly earlier set of nine agate belt plaques with musicians and dancers, Tang dynasty, dated 618-906, 5.3 cm long, in the British Museum, museum number 1937,0416.129-137. Compare a related, slightly earlier set of ten decorative belt plaques, dated to the Tang dynasty, in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, accession number 1992.165.22a–j.

Auction result comparison:
Type: Related
Auction: Sotheby’s Hong Kong, 1 June 2023, lot 319
Estimate: HKD 600,000 or approx. EUR 69,000 converted at the time of writing
Description: A set of eleven white jade ‘musicians and dancers’ belt plaques, Tang dynasty
Expert remark: Compare the related forms and manner of carving with similar high relief. Note that the lot comprises eleven white jade belt plaques (the largest 5.2 cm long), dated to the Tang dynasty.