Asian Works of Art

Carved from a pale celadon jade, this coiled dragon features tall ears, elongated nostrils, and a multi-fold eyelid over a distinctive porcine face. A pair of apertures is visible on its back. Its body is coiled into a dynamic C-shape, subtly echoing the ancient form of a jue (玨), a ceremonial jade artifact traditionally used in pairs, with fitted silk box.
Note:
This miniature pig‑dragon is among the smallest known examples of its type. The Hongshan culture (c. 4700–2900 BCE) jade “pig‑dragon” (zhulong) ranks among the most iconic and enigmatic artifacts of Neolithic Northeast China. Carved from locally sourced nephrite, these coiled forms merge the rounded, snouted features of a pig with the abstracted, arched body of an embryonic dragon—an early expression of mythological synthesis.

Most jade pig‑dragons bear one or two biconically drilled holes on the back, probably for threading cords so they could be worn as pendants. This interpretation is strongly supported by archaeological context: they are often found in pairs placed on the chest of the deceased, indicating their likely use as personal ornaments.

For comparison, see a larger example in the Taipei National Palace Museum (accession no. 購玉000316N000000000)

是件小玉豬龍可能是目前所知同類器中尺寸最小的一例。紅山文化（約公元前4700–2900年）的玉「豬龍」是中國東北地區新石器時代最具代表性且神秘的器物之一。它們以當地取材的閃玉雕成，蜷曲的形體融合了豬的圓吻特徵與抽象化的龍胚胎弧形身軀，展現出早期神話觀念的融合。
多數玉豬龍的背部帶有一至兩個對鑽穿孔，可能用於穿繫佩掛。此功能從考古情境中可獲得有力支持：它們常成對發現於墓主胸前，表明很可能屬人身佩飾。
可資比較之例，參見一件藏於國立故宮博物院之較大同類器（藏品編號：購玉000316N000000000），以及另一件出土於遠寶山積石冢、現藏於遼寧省博物館的較大玉豬龍（編號第5號）。