Reference

Zhou Dynasty; Spring And Autumn Period; Warring States Period; Qin Dynasty; Han Dynasty; Three Kingdoms; ... jade cicada meaning. In Chinese culture, the jade cicada is a symbol of immortality, rebirth, and spiritual transcendence. ... In Chinese funeral customs, cicadas are seen as a symbol of the soul's rebirth and immortality. The belief ...

Cicadas made of jade were placed on the corpse's tongue before burial. Sometimes glass was used as a less expensive substitute.The Chinese placed jade objects in their tombs as early as the Neolithic period (about 4000 BC). Jade was first used to cover specific parts of the body during the Western Zhou dynasty (1050-771 BC). In the Han dynasty ...

This is a jade object in the form of a cicada (tsan) used for burial purposes in the Han dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE). Specifically, this jade was meant to be placed on the tongue, and was part of a set of jade plugs or coverings for the body. The cicada has been partly abstracted to emphasize its form, a wide head near the top and long, pointed wings.