Priceless treasures; rare and invaluable items
Era:
Ancient
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The idiom "He's Jade and Sui's Pearl" refers to two legendary priceless treasures.
The story of He's Jade (Heshi Bi) dates back to the Spring and Autumn period. A man named Bian He discovered an unpolished jade stone and presented it to King Li of Chu. The king's jewelers declared it a mere stone, and Bian He had his left foot amputated. Later, he presented it to King Wu of Chu, only to suffer the loss of his right foot under similar circumstances.
Finally, King Wen of Chu ascended the throne and recognized the jade's true value, commissioning it to be carved into a magnificent bi disc, thus it became known as the Heshi Bi.
The story of Sui's Pearl (Sui Zhu) tells of Sui Hou, a lord from the "Land East of Han" with the surname Ji. He once saved an injured snake, and in gratitude, the snake later returned and spat out a large, luminous pearl, which became known as Sui's Pearl.