Nov. 29, 2025
Share
Dzi beads: a mysterious treasure of Tibetan culture
Dzi beads, also known as "heaven-sent stones" or "serky beads," are handicrafts imbued with rich Tibetan cultural connotations.
Origin of the name
"Dzi" is a transliteration of the Tibetan word "Gzi," which means "bright and shining" in Tibetan, and also carries connotations of "solemnity, magnificence, and perfection." Historically, due to its similar pronunciation, it was once called "Se" bead, as recorded in the New Book of Tang, which states that the Tibetans wore "Se Se beads," considered an early written record of Dzi beads.
Historical Development
Dzi bead craftsmanship is a branch of etched chalcedony craftsmanship, originating in the ancient Zhangzhung period (around the 6th century BC to the 1st century AD). Etched chalcedony craftsmanship originated in the Indus Valley Civilization around 2600 BC and subsequently spread and developed through several stages. Around the 3rd century AD, dzi bead production ceased due to the introduction of Buddhism. In the 7th century AD, the Tibetan Empire conquered Zhangzhung, continuing the dzi bead culture and integrating it with Tibetan Buddhist cultural significance.
Production Process
• Pure Dzi Beads: Utilizing a lost etching technique, these beads undergo multiple processes including whitening, anti-dyeing, and blackening, ultimately achieving a clear black-and-white contrast, distinct patterns, a warm and lustrous texture, strong oiliness, smooth holes, and a thick patina.
• Tsosi Dzi Beads: Contemporaneous with or slightly later than Zhichun Dzi Beads, they also employ the etching process, but the steps or formulas differ. They commonly feature a dark background with white patterns, and the lines of the patterns are not as clear and sharp as those of Zhichun Dzi Beads. They have better light transmission and come in a variety of colors.
• Modern imitation dzi beads: These are produced using processes such as acid etching, dyeing, and high-temperature firing. The colors are either too bright or too dull, the mechanical marks in the holes are obvious, and they lack natural weathering patterns and patina.
Meaning of the patterns
The patterns on dzi beads possess rich religious and symbolic meanings. For example, a single-eyed dzi bead symbolizes wisdom and light; a three-eyed dzi bead represents fortune, prosperity, and longevity; a tiger-tooth patterned dzi bead symbolizes courage and warding off evil; and a lotus patterned dzi bead signifies purity and enlightenment.
Cultural Significance
Dzi beads are one of the seven treasures of Tibetan Buddhism. High-ranking monks use them for spiritual practice, while ordinary people wear them for protection, symbolizing the perfection of body, speech, and mind. The Jokhang Temple's life-size statue of the twelve-year-old Shakyamuni Buddha is inlaid with over a hundred pure dzi beads, demonstrating their religious status. In the hearts of Tibetans, dzi beads are "stones fallen from heaven," amulets possessed only by those with profound blessings, and also a symbol of status.
Collectible Value
Dzi beads are small and easy to store, making them an important mobile asset in the Himalayas. In the modern collectibles market, pure dzi beads are extremely valuable due to their antiquity, unique patterns and designs, and scarcity. Dzi beads worth hundreds of thousands or even millions of yuan are not uncommon, and those with heirlooms and stories are especially sought after.
In recent years, a Qing Dynasty pure nine-eyed dzi bead bracelet has fetched a high price of 108 million yuan at public auctions. Several other dzi beads have also sold for tens of millions of yuan. Below are representative high-priced auction records from different periods:
1. 108 million yuan: At a spring auction in Beijing in 2025, a Qing Dynasty pure nine-eyed dzi bead bracelet sold for this price. It is not only a high-quality pure dzi bead, but also features silver-gilt spacer beads made by the Qing Dynasty imperial workshops. The spacer beads are carved with Buddhist Eight Treasures patterns using filigree techniques. The combination of ancient beads and imperial craftsmanship further enhances its value.
2. 78 million yuan: At a Swiss auction in 2017, a thousand-year-old pure twelve-eyed dzi bead sold for this price, ranking among the highest in overseas dzi bead auction records, highlighting the international collectible value of ancient and pure dzi beads.
3. 69 million yuan: In the 2019 Juling Autumn Auction, a unique "Four-Leaf Bodhi Dzi Bead" sold for this price (excluding commission), setting a new auction record for similar special-patterned dzi beads at the time.
4. 50 million yuan: At the 2009 Beijing Zhongjia International Auction, a "Three-Pronged Dharma Protector Dzi Bead" fetched this astronomical price. This was the first time a dzi bead had broken the 50 million yuan mark at auction, becoming the "King of Beads" at the time and driving a surge in the dzi bead collecting market.
5. 40 million yuan: A "Large Nine-Eyed Cinnabar Dzi Bead" sold for this price. The cinnabar material combined with the auspicious nine-eyed pattern makes it a representative collectible in the high-end dzi bead market.
In addition, some dzi beads with extremely high valuations were not auctioned. For example, the conch dzi bead enshrined in the Jokhang Temple is known as the first generation of dzi beads and has a market valuation of 260 million yuan; the nine-eyed dzi bead with zigzag lines inherited by the Tibetan singer Alan's family has a market valuation of 150 million yuan, but these valuations have not been converted into actual auction sales.
Related Articles
