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pendants

Pendant

佩

pei

An object suspended from the body, either singly or as part of an assembly. Jade pendants in shaped forms — dragons, birds, huang arcs — are among the most characteristic early Chinese ornaments.

Not equivalent to

English “hairpin” covers several distinct Chinese forms. A pendant is not interchangeable with Necklace.

Worn at
chest, waist
Requires piercing
No
Objects in catalogue
82

How to tell it apart

A pendant is suspended and usually detachable; it is not a closed strand (necklace) and not worn through a piercing (ear ring). Many pei were components of a larger assembly rather than standalone pieces.

Objects of this type

Nephrite pendant of pale green stone with carved surface and a drilled suspension hole

Pendant

Pendant

Qing Dynastyjade

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Nephrite pendant carved as a butterfly with incised wing patterns

Pendant

Butterfly Pendant

Qing Dynastyjade

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Circular nephrite pendant with carved surface decoration and a central opening

Pendant

Circular Pendant

Qing Dynastyjade

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Pair of thin gold sheet ornaments, each cut with the profile of a phoenix and chased with feather detail

Pendant

Textile Ornaments(?): Pair of Phoenixes

Sui and Tang Dynastiesbeaten gold with chased detail

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Thin gold sheet cut in the shape of a phoenix, with chased details on the surface

Pendant

Textile Ornament(?): Phoenix

Sui and Tang Dynastiesbeaten gold with chased detail

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Gold sheet ornament in the form of a phoenix, chased with fine surface detail

Pendant

Textile Ornament(?): Phoenix

Sui and Tang Dynastiesbeaten gold with chased detail

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Pendant of gold mounts set with carved green jade, with a suspension loop at the top

Pendant

Pendant

Qing Dynastygold, carved green jade, rose quartz, and seed pearls

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Two matching arc-shaped nephrite pendants, each carved with an animal mask and interlaced scrolls

Pendant

Pair of Arc-shaped Pendants with Animal Mask and Interlaced Animal Bands (Huang)

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesjade (nephrite)

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Arc-shaped nephrite pendant carved in low relief with an animal mask and interlaced ornament

Pendant

Arc-shaped Pendant with Animal Mask and Interlaced Animal Bands (Huang)

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesjade (nephrite)

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Arc-shaped nephrite pendant with carved animal mask and interlaced scroll pattern

Pendant

Arc-shaped Pendant with Animal Mask and Interlaced Animal Bands (Huang)

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesnephrite

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Flat nephrite pendant cut in the silhouette of a fish, with fins and scales incised on the surface

Pendant

Arc-Shaped Jade Fish Pendant

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesnephrite

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Arc-shaped nephrite pendant, greenish stone, carved with an animal mask at the centre and drilled at both ends for suspension

Pendant

Arc-Shaped Pendant (Huangpei)

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesjade (nephrite)

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Nephrite pendant carved with a coiled dragon and a fish in low relief

Pendant

Pendant with Coiled Dragon and Fish

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesjade

The Cleveland Museum of Art

White jade ornament carved as a spoked wheel with a central hub

Pendant

Ornament - Wheel

Qing Dynastywhite jade

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Small drilled jade bead with carved surface

Pendant

Ornament - Bead

Qing Dynastyjade

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Flat nephrite plaque carved in the profile silhouette of a bird, with incised feather detail

Pendant

Jade Bird Pendant

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesnephrite

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Arc-shaped nephrite pendant with a small human-like figure carved into the surface

Pendant

Arc Pendant with Human-like Figure

Shang and Zhou Dynastiesnephrite

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Long embroidered silk pendant worked with silvered and gilded paper and gold thread in needleloop embroidery

Pendant

Pendant

Song, Liao, Jin and Yuan Dynastiessilk, silvered paper, gilded paper, and gold thread; needleloop embroidery and knotting

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Small nephrite pendant with carved surface detail

Pendant

Pendant

Song, Liao, Jin and Yuan Dynastiesjade

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the form of a flower bud, qing dynasty.

Pendant

Pendant in the form of a flower bud

Qing DynastyJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 10.6 cm long.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyNephrite

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, plaque in the shape of a rabbit, shang and zhou dynasties, 2.5 cm high.

Pendant

Plaque in the shape of a rabbit

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 3.8 cm long.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, ming dynasty, 5.1 cm across.

Pendant

Pendant

Ming DynastyJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, prehistoric china, 7.6 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Prehistoric ChinaJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, prehistoric china, 11.1 cm long.

Pendant

Pendant

Prehistoric ChinaJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, prehistoric china, 8.9 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Prehistoric ChinaJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, prehistoric china, 8.9 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Prehistoric ChinaJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, prehistoric china, 9 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Prehistoric ChinaJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, prehistoric china, 7.6 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Prehistoric ChinaJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, prehistoric china, 5.4 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Prehistoric ChinaJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, prehistoric china, 3.8 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Prehistoric ChinaJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 5.7 cm wide.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyNephrite

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 9.2 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant (huang)

Qing DynastyJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 6.4 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 3.3 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 7.6 cm long.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 3.5 cm wide.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade, seed pearls

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jadeite pendant, qing dynasty, 6.4 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJadeite

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Tourmaline pendant, with floral designs, qing dynasty, 5.7 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant with floral designs

Qing DynastyTourmaline

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 5.2 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade, seed pearls

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 5.2 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade, seed pearls

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jadeite and jade (nephrite) pendant, with dragon, qing dynasty, 7.6 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant with dragon

Qing DynastyJade (jadeite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 7.6 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade, seed pearls

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jadeite pendant, qing dynasty, 7.9 cm long.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJadeite, seed pearls

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jadeite pendant, qing dynasty, 4.8 cm long.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJadeite, seed pearls

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 4.4 cm wide.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jadeite pendant, ming dynasty, 6.6 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Ming DynastyJadeite

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 6.8 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyNephrite, white with faint greenish tint

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 3.7 cm wide.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jadeite pendant, qing dynasty, 2.1 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJadeite

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jadeite pendant, qing dynasty, 5.6 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJadeite, light emerald-green

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jadeite pendant, qing dynasty, 5.1 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJadeite, emerald-green changing to lighter shades of green

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 5.9 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyNephrite

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 5.3 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyNephrite

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 5.6 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyNephrite, white with faint grayish tint

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 0.5 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 6.4 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 7.1 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyNephrite, white with very faint grayish-green tint

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 3.8 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyNephrite, white and dark greyish

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, qing dynasty, 5.3 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyNephrite

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jadeite pendant, qing dynasty, 5.1 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyJadeite, mottled green

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, prehistoric china, 3.5 cm high.

Pendant

Ivory Tone Pendant

Prehistoric ChinaJade (Nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the shape of an animal with fish tail, shang and zhou dynasties, 8.3 cm wide.

Pendant

Pendant in the shape of an animal with fish tail

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the shape of a dragon, shang and zhou dynasties, 3.5 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant in the shape of a dragon

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the shape of a dragon, shang and zhou dynasties, 3.5 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant in the shape of a dragon

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Glass pendant, qing dynasty, 3.5 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyGlass

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Amber pendant, qing dynasty, 3.8 cm long.

Pendant

Pendant

Qing DynastyAmber

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Pendant, with daoist divinities, qing dynasty, 2.5 cm wide.

Pendant

Pendant with Daoist divinities

Qing DynastyFruit stone

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 3.3 cm long.

Pendant

Frog pendant

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 14 cm long.

Pendant

Arc-shaped pendant (huang)

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the shape of a silk worm, shang and zhou dynasties, 4.8 cm long.

Pendant

Pendant in the shape of a silk worm

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the shape of a dragon, shang and zhou dynasties, 6 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant in the shape of a dragon

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the shape of a coiling dragon, shang and zhou dynasties, 4.4 cm across.

Pendant

Pendant in the shape of a coiling dragon

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 3 cm high.

Pendant

Arc-shaped pendant (Huang)

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the shape of a crested dragon, shang and zhou dynasties, 10.8 cm wide.

Pendant

Pendant in the shape of a crested dragon

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, in the shape of a bird, prehistoric china, 9.4 cm high.

Pendant

Pendant in the shape of a bird

Prehistoric ChinaJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 3.8 cm high.

Pendant

Arc-shaped pendant (Huang)

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 3.8 cm high.

Pendant

Arc-shaped pendant (Huang)

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 3.5 cm high.

Pendant

Arc-shaped pendant (Huang)

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 3.5 cm high.

Pendant

Arc-shaped pendant (Huang)

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Jade (nephrite) pendant, shang and zhou dynasties, 2.2 cm high.

Pendant

Arc-shaped pendant (Huang)

Shang and Zhou DynastiesJade (nephrite)

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Sources