In fact, Tibet itself does not produce dzi beads, and its source is the etched agate produced by the two rivers civilization. Western scholars believe that the patterns on the dzi beads originated from the bead patterns in the ancient two river basins, but later they evolved and developed.
It is an indisputable fact that the early dzi beads or their predecessors were etched agate or chalcedony beads, whether in archaeology or collection.
This kind of etched agate has been introduced in many aspects through current research. The first way is to introduce Tubo from Pakistan, Nepal, India and Afghanistan. The other way is to enter Tubo from Pakistan via Khotan. The closest thing to the historical truth in Tibetan legends is that King Gelsall spread the dzi beads to Tibet through war. During the Han and Tang dynasties, the Persian capital was known as the "big food country". Both this legend and modern textual research locate the origin of Tibetan dzi beads in West Asia.
German scholars David Ebbinghaus and Dr. Michael Weinstein wrote a monograph "Tibetan colored beads" in the early 1980s after decades of research on their hundreds of dzi beads, which clearly pointed out: "As far as processing technology is concerned, Tibetan colored beads are an etched agate bead."
The processing method of etching agate beads is to make a pattern on the bead surface in advance, then etch it with alkaline water (some with potassium carbonate, graphite and sodium carbonate), and finally barbecue it with fire to make the texture appear in the strong alkali part of the bead.
In the sample report of the professional testing organization of dzi bead testing, its material is called an aphanitic mineral formed under high temperature and high pressure, and its particle arrangement is different from that of ordinary agate chalcedony. Compared with common agate chalcedony, its mineral particles are finer and finer.
Classification of dzi beads
Friends who play Wan Wen must have heard of more than one kind of dzi beads. Most people just feel dizzy and at a loss.
The dzi beads can be simply divided into three systems: pure dzi beads, ancient dzi beads and collateral dzi beads.
Zhi Chun Tian Zhu (Tibetan transliteration "Si"): At present, the recognized Tibetan Tian Zhu is Zhi Chun Tian Zhu, which is what we usually call Tian Zhu.
Most of these dzi beads are milky white with delicate texture, and the surface bite color is black and white or dark brown, and there are also pale white, but the overall thickness of the beads varies.
Pure dzi beads are pure in material, delicate in texture, clear in decorative lines, vivid in bite color and excellent in expressive force. They are the most mature and artistic forms of expression in the history of arts and crafts of dzi beads, and they are also the highest in the Himalayan dzi beads.
Ancient dzi beads are generally translucent in texture, blue or yellowish in color, with good texture and patina on the surface. Especially the vermilion-spotted dzi beads, the future appreciation space is no less than pure dzi beads.
No matter from the craft or totem performance, most of the Cuoxi dzi beads are more colorful than pure dzi beads. According to the current archaeological data, ancient dzi beads may have been produced earlier than pure dzi beads, and the value of ancient dzi beads formed around the Himalayas is currently lower than that of similar pure dzi beads.
It is called collateral dzi beads: it includes sheep eye dzi beads, pharmacist beads, black and white beads and thread beads. Due to the close relationship with dzi beads in origin, production technology and materials, but due to the differences in totem, shape and texture, these beads are usually distinguished from the mainstream dzi beads and classified as collateral dzi beads.
The reason why Tianzhu is expensive is that the ancient manufacturing technology has been lost, and there will be no finished products. There is no uniform standard for distinguishing the authenticity and judging the value of dzi beads. The old Tianzhu players in the circle have compiled some experiences:
1. Pure dzi beads were later said to be black and white before and after the Tang Dynasty, and now the price is higher than other kinds of dzi beads. But before the appearance of high imitation beads in Taiwan Province Province in 1970s, many of them were pure dzi beads.
2. In the case of the same product, most eye-shaped beads are higher than a few; Odd eyes are higher than even eyes; Buddha's eye dzi beads are higher than ordinary eye dzi beads.
3. Double (or double-line dzi beads) is higher than single (or single-line dzi beads).
4. Religious decorative dzi beads are higher than auspicious decorative dzi beads.
Feeder dzi beads made by modern and contemporary people.
Besides the above dzi beads, I believe you have also heard of "feeder dzi beads", "snail dzi beads" and "nine-eye shale dzi beads" and so on. These are all new materials made by modern people or contemporary people through various means, and do not belong to the category of dzi beads.
Buddhism inherits dzi beads:
Buddhism has a history of more than 2,500 years. It was founded by Gautama Siddharta, the prince of the ancient Indian kingdom of Kapilovi (now Nepal) (see Buddha's birthday). Western countries generally believe that Buddhism originated in India, and India is actually trying to shape the image of a "Buddhist holy land".
When Buddhism was founded, India had entered the serf society ruled by feudal lords. At that time, the three traditional Indian beliefs of Vedic Apocalypse, universal sacrifice and Brahman supremacy, as well as the position of Brahman in monopolizing wisdom and representing theocracy, began to shake and became the target of public criticism. Free thinkers have all kinds of anti-traditional Samoan thoughts.
Founder Sakyamuni, born in Kapilovi, Nepal, is the prince of Sakyamuni people. There are still different opinions about his date of birth and death in Buddhism circulating in the north and south, but it is generally believed that he lived in the 6th to 5th century BC. When he was a teenager, he felt that things were changeable and thought deeply about ways to get rid of the suffering of life. Becoming a monk at the age of 29. Enlightenment becomes Buddha (Buddha).
The inheritance of dzi beads is also the result of people offering sacrifices to Buddha. In the Tang Dynasty, Tang Sanzang's master Buddhism spread all the way to ancient India. Now Buddhism has been wiped out in the western regions. However, some ancient dzi beads will also be unearthed, which proves that dzi beads are sacred objects of the Buddha (the following picture shows the ruins of ancient temples in the western regions and the ancient dzi beads unearthed in my scientific research)
The source of dzi beads:
The origin of dzi beads can be traced back to 3000 BC to 1500 BC, an Aryan country in ancient India. At that time, people prayed for the protection of God and Buddha, so dzi beads were created. At that time, people used ancient documents to draw symbols and patterns such as spells and totems recorded in the book (that is, various patterns on dzi beads now) on stones to achieve the benefit of enhancing spiritual (soul) consciousness. According to the Vedas, in ancient times, due to the influence of geographical environment and natural disasters, the heart of asking God for help naturally arose, and the "dzi beads" came into being. At the same time, various drugs were infiltrated to treat diseases, and the totem concept of witchcraft spells was painted on stones to obtain the blessing and protection of Buddha.
Dzi beads were used to worship buddhas and bodhisattvas in ancient India, Pakistan, Nepal and Afghanistan (see photo). The representative record of sacrifice is that Princess Wencheng brought a Buddha statue from India as a dowry when she married Tubo Zambu in the 15th year of Zhenguan of Emperor Taizong (AD 64 1 year). Finally, this Buddha statue is located in the Sakyamuni Buddha Hall of Jokhang Temple in Lhasa, Tibet. This Buddha statue was inlaid by Tibetans. At present, this Buddha statue is enshrined in the Sakyamuni Hall of Jokhang Temple in Lhasa.
Buddhist symbols can be divided into the following categories:
Child dzi beads, pestle dzi beads, lotus dzi beads, ruyi dzi beads, bodhi dzi beads, longevity dzi beads, Aquarius dzi beads, tortoise shell dzi beads, water-patterned dzi beads, and heaven and earth dzi beads.
Let's pay attention to the heaven and earth dzi beads:
What kind of dzi beads is heaven and earth?
A: The dzi beads in heaven and earth are the dzi beads in the circle.
What is the original intention of dzi Zhu?
A: The sky is round.
Then why this mode?
A: The ancients thought that "the sky is round", so they ground the gems in the sky into round beads as a token of communication with the gods. They call the initial state of undivided chaos between heaven and earth Tai Chi, which gives birth to two devices and leads to Yin and Yang. They also call the vast universe composed of many stars "heaven" as the land on which they live, and call it "earth". Because the sun, the moon and other celestial bodies are moving endlessly, just like a closed circle with no beginning and no end, while the earth is silently carrying us there, just like a square object is static and stable, so the concept of "round place" has come into being.
How to interpret from Buddhist symbols?
A: The circular pattern represents the square pattern of Tianmen, not the underground gate. It is divided into two forms: going to Tianmen and going underground; Front door, back door.
It is the front of the bead, with the top round and the bottom square; The front center of the bead is round and the back center is square. (There is a picture below)
Many businessmen like to wear this kind of dzi beads, because they think it can reconcile yin and yang and make everything happy. Change bad luck and eliminate magic difficulties. Bring wealth.
To sum up, it is not easy to get a dzi bead, but it is fortunate to get a dzi bead!