Bian He Presents the Jade

Origin of He Shi Bi

Bian He lost both feet presenting rough jade, until a king finally cut it open to reveal treasure.

Bian He of Chu found a rough stone on Mount Jing and offered it to King Li, whose jade workers called it a common rock. His left foot was cut off for deceit; offered again to King Wu, his right foot followed. Weeping by the mountain with blood instead of tears, he met King Wen, who finally had the stone cut open — inside lay the treasure later known as He Shi’s jade, worth more than any city’s wealth and worthy of a king’s tears.