Dzi bead
| Dzi bead | |||||||||||||||
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| Modern 'new' dzi beads made from etched agate | |||||||||||||||
| Chinese name | |||||||||||||||
| Chinese | 天珠 | ||||||||||||||
| Hanyu Pinyin | tiānzhū | ||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | heaven pearls | ||||||||||||||
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| Tibetan name | |||||||||||||||
| Tibetan | གཟི | ||||||||||||||
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Dzi bead (Tib. གཟི།; pronounced "zee"; alternative spelling: gzi) is a bead stone of mysterious origin worn as part of a necklace and sometimes as a bracelet. In several Asian cultures, including that of Tibet, the bead is considered to provide positive spiritual benefit. These beads are generally prized as protective amulets and are sometimes ground up into a powder to be used in traditional Tibetan medicine. Beads subject to this process have small "dig marks" where a portion of the bead has been scraped or shaved away to be ground into the medicine.
The most highly prized dzi beads are made of natural agate and were apparently manufactured in ancient times by an unknown people. There are also new dzi which gain popularity amongst Tibetans.
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[edit] Names
The meaning of the Tibetan word "dzi" [གཟི།] translates to "shine, brightness, clearness, splendor". In Chinese, the bead is called "heaven's bead" or "heaven's pearl" (天珠).
[edit] Design
Dzi stones are made from agate, and may have decorated symbols composed of circles, ovals, square, waves (zig zags), stripes, lines, diamonds, dots, squares, waves, and stripes and various other natural archetypal symbolic patterns. Colors will mainly range from browns to blacks with the pattern usually being in ivory white. Dzi beads can appear in different colours, shapes and sizes.
The number of "eyes" on the stone is considered significant. "Eyes" are the circular dot or eye-like designs, and depending on their number and arrangement, they represent different things.
Sometimes the natural patterns (usually "layered" swirls) of the agate can be seen underneath or behind the decorated symbols and designs, and sometimes not.
Some dzi beads sport what are referred to as "blood spots" which can be seen as tiny red dots in the white areas, and these are indicative of cinnabar content. This is highly desirable, but more rare. Another desirable effect is something called "Nāga skin" which refers to tiny circular weathering marks on the surface of the bead, that simulates scales.
The word "waxy" is often used to describe dzi bead surface, which is the smoothing which occurs over a long period of time (presumably from wear), giving the bead a waxy appearance. Some dzi beads are simply polished agate and sport only the agate's natural patterning as decoration.
The highest number of eyes on ancient dzi is twelve. One thirteen-eye bead has been reported from a Taiwan collector but its genuineness has been unconfirmed; therefore anything having more than twelve eyes can be considered non-traditional. Any accompanying story or benefit tale can be assumed to be fake as well, and a mere marketing strategy on the lucrative Feng Shui item market.
[edit] Origin
Dzi stones may have made their first appearance between 2000 BC to 1000 BC, in ancient India: a few hundred thousand were supposedly brought back by Tibetan soldiers from Persia or ancient Tajikistan during a raid. Fear of the “evil eye” was taken very seriously by these people, so whoever made the dzi created talismans with “eyes” on them as a “fight fire with fire” form of protection. Dzi were crafted by an unknown people using agate as the base stone and then fabricated with lines and circles using unique ancient methods like darkening with plant sugars and heat as well as bleaching and white line etching with ancient natron while certain parts must have been left out by using either grease, clay, wax or similar - the actual ancient alchemic process can only be assumed. In this way the ancients created the patterns by first bleaching the agate and then darkening the patterns onto the bead raws. Subsequently the lighter pattern would be etched onto the bead. After this the hole would be drilled, which was arduous work with a bow drill during ancient times.
There are certain facts that speak for the heating/bleaching process having taken place at a high altitude or in some sort of ancient vacuum chamber; otherwise the smoothness and the absence of cracks in the agate cannot be explained. Modern bead makers can now manufacture very good agate dzi stones with modern methods such as lasering and modern sugars and chemicals as well as vacuum chambers, but the techniques and methods used by ancient craftsmen still are not completely understood.[1]
While the origin surrounding dzi beads is quite uncertain, it is socially accepted today that they are called "Tibetan beads" just like "Tibetan coral" which also came to Tibet from elsewhere. Tibetans cherish these beads and made them hereditary gems. In this way they survived many thousands of years, being worn by hundreds of individual people. Dzi are found primarily in Tibet, but also in neighbouring Bhutan, Nepal, Ladakh and Sikkim.
Sometimes shepherds and farmers pick them up in the grasslands or while cultivating fields, and because some dzi are found in the earth, some Tibetans don't conceive of them as man-made. One reason the beads may be found near the surface in places such as freshly tilled fields, for example, may be because ancient monks were burned in funeral pyres (wearing the beads), and long after the remains were gone the beads remained, and were found at later dates. This however is unlikely, because only high monks were cremated and people collected the ashes, bone fragments and "dzi" and the spiritual tradition would have led them to look especially for any naturally formed jelly-like gems believed to be sometimes found within the ashes of an enlightened being. The ashes are then mixed with clay and formed into clay statuettes (Tsa-tsas).
Another more plausible reason to find the beads in soil might be that the beads were lost in times when the stringing cords weren't as durable as they are today. Most dzi don't have a large enough hole for a thick leather string to pass through. Before silk was widely available, the stringing material would have been plant fibers that easily broke.
Since knowledge of the bead is derived from several differing oral traditions, the beads have provoked controversy concerning their source, their method of manufacture and even their precise definition. In Tibetan culture these beads are believed to attract local protectors, dharmapalas or deities or maybe beneficial ghosts, ancestors or even bodhisattvas. Because of this, dzi beads are always treated with respect.[2]. As Kelsang Gyatso says:
Though there are some worldly deities who are friendly towards Buddhism and who try to help practitioners, they are not real Dharma Protectors. Such worldly deities are able to increase the external wealth of practitioners and help them to succeed in their worldly activities, but they do not have the wisdom or the power to protect the development of Dharma within a practitioner's mind.
[edit] New Dzi
Due to the unknown origin of these beads and the high demand for them, there has been unquestionable reproduction of ancient dzi beads in Asia. The first (and best) replica dzi beads came from Taiwan during the 1990s. China has also produced some good quality new dzi beads over the last three years.[when?] However, the number of dzi that would be accepted as beautiful by the Tibetan community is still very small. The few nice ones are therefore still collectible items much sought after.[citation needed]
A nice dzi must be good quality agate, and the cutting, drilling and decorating takes many days. Some of the very well-made new dzi are accepted by Tibetans because it is safe to wear them in public and they look just like ancient dzi. Some[who?] claim the new dzi work as well as the old ones. Others claim that the protective energies of ancient dzi can move into a new dzi, if the stone is of the same quality or better and the two beads are kept together or binding rituals are performed.
Dzi are also popular with other Asians in China, Taiwan, Thailand and Singapore. The genuine ancient dzi have become unaffordable to most Tibetans except for those who have owned them for generations. Some of the new dzi have become collectibles themselves, and their price is increasing at a fast rate. It is as true today as it was in ancient days, that only a handful of people know how to manufacture superior beads. Less than a dozen people are manufacturing stunningly beautiful beads; not much is known about who they are, or where their workshops are.
Many new beads (with some exceptions) don't have any of the mystic aura and waxy appearance of the ancient ones; however, it is said[by whom?] that taking them to be blessed by a Lama, a Guru, taking them to pilgrimages and initiations, to holy places, stupas and shrines and reciting mantras as well as taking religious vows with them will give the new dzi a similar power to the ancient ones; it just takes some more time and effort. On the other hand, the new dzi also do not carry any of the absorbed bad karma of the previous owners, which is a good point. To rid the stone of any bad energy (the motivation during creation and sale of the dzi can be bad or even criminal), submerge the dzi in saltwater for some hours and then take some incense and fan it over the dzi. The dzi should be treated with respect from that time on. When one engages in any inpure activity, it should be taken off. Some people include sex as such an activity. Sun basking and herbal smudging is also said to purify the beads. Spirit aroma offering and recitation of Cintamani dharani maybe helpful in charging the bead as well.
[edit] Mock Dzi
Mock dzi are created from materials other than agate or chalcedony. They can be from glass, resin, lampwork, wood, plastic, metal, or non-traditional etched stones. They have a long history, some dating back a couple of hundred years. The older mock dzi have some collectible value. Some of the resin mock dzi have a filling of lead to add weight. Some people would also call the machine-carved and -drilled, highly polished new dzi " mock dzi". These are available for less than 2,00 Dollars and they are obviously mass produced items. They are often sold by the strand. The etching on those cheap beads has been done very quickly, and the decorations do not penetrate into the inner core of the bead. These are often called fake dzi and they are targeted at Mainland Chinese customers as lucky feng shui charms.
[edit] Value
Market value for ancient beads can easily reach into hundreds of thousands of US Dollars - especially for beads with more "eyes". Tiny red cinnabar spots caused by iron inclusion in the agate also increase the value. New true etched agate Dzi are also highly prized as long as they are well made, contain the traditional patterns and are made from genuine agate without "dragon skin" or "dragon veins" but have nice contrast, clean - clear look & splendour and nicely simulated abbrasion signs at the drill holes (these abbrasions should slope upward, simulating thousands of years of thread abbrasion). New dzi prices range from about 10 US Dollars to two thousand US Dollars for the very best, depending on quality and splendour. Because of the high value placed on them, Tibetans would typically only part with an authentic pure Dzi bead under very extreme circumstances. These extreme circumstances may include, theft, confiscation by banks and government or even murder.As a result, many Tibetans have started wearing reproduction dzi in open public, out of fear of theft and robbery. If a history of an ancient dzi cannot be known, one should not buy it - it may be bad luck. There are certain other criteria why ancient dzi can be bad, such as being broken in half,taken from a dead body, having the dzi's eyes destroyed or defaced, being stolen or obtained through deception, murder and other violent means. However, any dzistone full or broken as long as it's genuine do bring good luck ultimately. One most important thing to do when buying a real dzistone is not to buy on impulse, it's always good to consult with different people who deal in these beads and with a little patience , your sixth sense will most definitely guide you. These beads are no ordinary beads, they are priceless to someone who have been wearing these beads for a few years.
[edit] Similar Beads
Similar to the dzi beads are the so called Chung Dzi[4] which have been imported to Tibet since ancient times. These can be plain, natural banded[5] agate beads, or etched beads (often black and white striped etched patterns). Some are carnelians or black agate with thin white etching patterns resembling the back of turtle.This is an ancient pattern that dates back to the era of the Harappan Indus culture.
Many of these beads were recovered in Taxila and southern Mesopotamia.Another type of dzi is called Luk Mik (goat eye) - it is a naturally formed single eyed coin shaped[3] Agate bead.Luk Mik are the preferred dzi for travelling in Tibet.Chung dzi are believed to embody similar properties as real "eyed" dzi but should not be confused with pure 'eyed dzi' beads (they often cost much less than eyed pure dzi). Another bead that is very similar to dzi are the antique Pyu and Phumtek beads of Burma. They share some of the dzi bead patterns, but instead of agate, the Phumtek are generally made from petrified opalized palm wood while Pyu beads are often made of red or orange carnelian with some thin white line alkali etching. Ancient Roman agate beads as well as etched Bactrian, Middle Eastern, Chinese, Afghan, Yemeni,[6] and Indian agate & carnelian beads made their way into Tibet. All these are considered chung dzi by Tibetans (in Tibetan, "chung" means ordinary or common). They are less valuable then pure eyed dzi, yet they are highly treasured amongst Tibetans and also considered a variety of dzi.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ http://beadbugle.com/html/etched_beads_and_dzi_beads.html beadbugle
- ^ Pattison, Eliot. [2004] (2004). Beautiful Ghost. St Martin Press. ISBN 0-312-27759-8
- ^ a b http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/befeo_0336-1519_2001_num_88_1_3513#
- ^ http://www.ancientbead.com/Etched_beads.html
- ^ http://www.ancientbead.com/Indus_valley_banded_agate.html
- ^ http://www.ancientbead.com/sulemani_agate_beads.html
[edit] Further reading
- Eppinghouse, David and Winston, Michael: "Tibetan dZi (gZi) Beads". The Tibet Journal, vol. 13, no. 1, Dharamsala 1988, p. 38-56.
