{"title":"Chung Dzi","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb data-path-to-node=\"15,0\" data-index-in-node=\"20\"\u003eChung Dzi\u003c\/b\u003e beads are prized for their strong protective and wealth building powers. This unique category of Dzi is \u003cb data-path-to-node=\"15,0\" data-index-in-node=\"97\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003echaracterized by distinctive stripes rather than eye motifs\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e. These \u003cb data-path-to-node=\"15,0\" data-index-in-node=\"120\"\u003eancient Tibetan amulets\u003c\/b\u003e carry their own distinct lineage and protective energies. Each piece in our collection is vetted for \u003cb data-path-to-node=\"15,0\" data-index-in-node=\"245\"\u003eauthenticity\u003c\/b\u003e, showing the characteristic \u003cb data-path-to-node=\"15,0\" data-index-in-node=\"286\"\u003eweathering marks\u003c\/b\u003e and \u003cb data-path-to-node=\"15,0\" data-index-in-node=\"307\"\u003esoft patina\u003c\/b\u003e only found in true Chung Dzi beads.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChung Dzi is often misunderstood caused by improper translation of the Tibetan language.  Some people think the “Chung” in Chung Dzi is a Tibetan word meaning “lesser” or “undesirable.” This is most definitely mistaken as Chung Dzi has always commanded great value. Rather, the “Chung” in Chung Dzi is a Tibetan word meaning “crystal”, which is what the ancient Tibetans called agate and chalcedony.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo further the confusion, ancient Tibetans believed that Dzi with eyes were gifts from the gods. They called these Pure Dzi. Ancient Tibetans grouped all the other Dzi, which were crafted by Man, collectively as Chung Dzi.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor our purposes, we will use the term Chung Dzi to refer to Dzi Beads adorned with striping.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"ancient-single-stripe-chung-dzi-heibai-belly-ac-061526-1sbw","title":"Ancient Single Stripe Chung Dzi 黑白珠, 26.3×9.7×7.8mm, belly form, medicine-chipped ends (Ac-061526-1SBW)","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eAt both drill hole openings of this bead, the agate has turned blue-green — and the ring it left behind is exactly the size of the cord that passed through it for a thousand years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe blue-green mineral deposit visible in Images 3, 4, 11, and 12 forms a precise ring around each drill hole opening — not a broad crust covering the end cap, but a localised circle sitting exactly at the boundary between the stone and wherever the stringing cord made long-term contact. It is copper-bearing mineral chemistry, deposited through centuries of burial and wear in environments where copper compounds were present — prayer beads strung with copper-alloy components, buried in copper-rich soil, or both. It is not applied. It is not decorative. It is a record of use, and it is irreproducible. The same burial chemistry marker appears on \u003cstrong\u003eAc-080420-19SChung\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-nineteen-stripe-chung-dzi-pair-ac-080420-19schung\"\u003eAncient Nineteen Stripe Pair\u003c\/a\u003e), but on those beads it formed as a broad crust; here, on this much smaller bead, it has formed as a precise ring — the exact circumference of a cord that has not been there for a very long time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe end caps of this bead carry a different kind of history. Both end cap faces show percussive damage — multiple irregular impact sites, concave breaks, and chipped surface areas consistent with deliberate extraction of agate material for use in traditional Tibetan medicine practice. In Tibetan medical tradition, material from ancient and sacred beads — particularly highly charged pieces believed to have accumulated spiritual potency through centuries of use — was sometimes carefully removed and ground into medicine preparations. The resulting damage to the end cap faces is not accidental impact: it is the product of deliberate, repeated percussion, creating the irregular multi-break surfaces visible clearly in Images 2, 3, 4, 11, and 12. A bead that has been used for medicine digs has been trusted twice — once as a worn object, once as a healing one. The damage is not a deduction from its significance; in traditional Tibetan collecting, it is an addition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThis bead is known in Chinese collecting tradition as a 黑白珠 (hēi bái zhū — black-white bead): a natural bicolour agate in which the stone itself produces a dark central zone flanked by pale end caps, with no etching applied. The dark central zone is a deep dark grey-brown to near-pitch-black with warm purple-brown internal colour variation — rich and complex, not flat. The end caps are cool milky pale grey-white to pale grey-green, translucent and luminous, with warm honey-brown gradient transition zones between the pale ends and the dark body on each side. This three-zone colour architecture — pale cap \/ warm gradient \/ dark centre \/ warm gradient \/ pale cap — is the stone's own, laid down during geological formation and preserved through a thousand years or more of existence.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe body form is a short wide belly shape — the bead bulges outward at its mid-point and tapers toward both ends, with the cross-section measuring 9.7mm at widest and 7.8mm at narrowest, confirming it is not round. The surface across all zones is high-gloss, and fine micro-scoring lines across the dark body surface are visible in the lateral photographs — consistent with centuries of handling wear. The drill holes at both ends are small with the blue-green burial mineral ring surrounding each opening.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eNo etching was applied to this bead. This places it in the same natural colour-zone category as \u003cstrong\u003eAt-020726-Chung\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-single-stripe-bow-shaped-chung-dzi-at-061526-1sbow\"\u003eAntique Single Stripe Chung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e) — but that bead is antique (~500 years), fusiform, bicolour only, and carries no burial mineral deposits or medicine dig damage. This bead is ancient (1,000–1,500 years), belly-form, trizone in colour architecture, and carries blue-green burial chemistry at both drill holes alongside clear evidence of traditional medicine use at both ends. Also related but distinct: \u003cstrong\u003eAc-061526-1SPair\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-single-stripe-chung-dzi-pair-bicone-ac-061526-1spair\"\u003eAncient Single Stripe Bicone Pair\u003c\/a\u003e) carries calcification deposit stripes on bicone-form beads — a completely different surface mechanism, form, and composition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch4 class=\"text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold\"\u003eThe Black-White Bead — 黑白珠\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe 黑白珠 (hēi bái zhū) is recognised in Tibetan and Chinese collecting traditions as among the most fundamental expressions of natural agate duality: darkness held between two pale ends, or light framed by dark — depending on which reading you bring to it. In Tibetan cosmology the opposition of dark and pale is not a conflict but a completion: the two poles define each other, and what sits between them is the axis. On this bead the dark body is the axis and the pale end caps are the poles — and the cord that once passed through both holes held all three zones together on a single thread. The single stripe (一線紋) in this context is not a decorative band added to the stone but the stone's own decision about what to be: a bead that the agate made before the craftsman found it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Single stripe (一線紋), natural bicolour; 黑白珠 (hēi bái zhū — black-white bead); deep dark grey-brown to near-pitch-black natural agate central zone with warm purple-brown internal variation; warm honey-brown gradient transition zones; cool milky pale grey-white to pale grey-green translucent end caps; no etching applied\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 26.3mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 9.7mm (widest) × 7.8mm (cross-section depth — non-round confirmed)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Short wide belly form — outward belly at mid-body tapering to both ends; non-round cross-section; both end cap faces show deliberate percussive damage consistent with traditional Tibetan medicine dig use\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural bicolour agate; high-gloss surface across all zones; fine micro-scoring on dark body surface (age-consistent)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge Estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1,000–1,500 years\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Both end cap faces carry deliberate percussive damage consistent with traditional Tibetan medicine dig extraction (disclosed, Images 2, 3, 4, 11, 12); most prominent damage on right end cap upper area; fine surface crack line on left end cap face (disclosed, Image 12); fine age-consistent micro-scoring on dark body; blue-green mineral burial deposit ring at both drill hole openings (authentication marker, disclosed, Images 3, 4, 11, 12)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ac-061526-1SBW\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-agate-near-pitch-black-ac-081020-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi Agate Near Pitch Black\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/ancient-dzi-beads\"\u003eAncient Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch4 class=\"text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold\"\u003eRelated Chung Dzi \u0026amp; Striped Agate Beads\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eStripe-form and single-colour-zone beads that share the natural bicolour and medicine-marked heritage of this bead:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch5 class=\"text-text-200 mt-2.5 mb-1.5 text-sm font-bold\"\u003eAncient\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal mb-2\"\u003eThe finest examples carry burial chemistry and undisturbed age patina across over 1,000 years:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-nineteen-stripe-chung-dzi-pair-ac-080420-19schung\"\u003eAncient Nineteen Stripe Chung Dzi Pair, 46.4×11.8mm \u0026amp; 46.9×11.6mm, blue-green burial deposits, over 1,500 years — Ac-080420-19SChung\u003c\/a\u003e — $4000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-agate-near-pitch-black-ac-081020-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, 49.4×11.9mm, near-pitch-black ground, 1,000–1,500 years — Ac-081020-7SChung\u003c\/a\u003e — $5000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-five-stripe-cho-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-pale-cream-ac-061426-5schung\"\u003eAncient Five Stripe Cho Dzi (Cuosi), 57.5×13.1mm, milky translucent grey-white \u0026amp; pitch-black bands — Ac-061426-5SChung\u003c\/a\u003e — $8000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-single-stripe-chung-dzi-pair-bicone-ac-061526-1spair\"\u003eAncient Single Stripe Chung Dzi Bicone Pair, 25.4×9.2mm \u0026amp; 25.2×9.4mm, pale and dark bicone form — Ac-061526-1SPair\u003c\/a\u003e — $3500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch5 class=\"text-text-200 mt-2.5 mb-1.5 text-sm font-bold\"\u003eAntique\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal mb-2\"\u003eStriped and single-zone beads from the 100–500 year range, many with medicine dig evidence or natural color transition:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-single-stripe-bow-shaped-chung-dzi-at-061526-1sbow\"\u003eAntique Single Stripe Bow-Shaped Chung Dzi, 38.1×11.5×8.9mm, tricolour natural agate — At-061526-1SBow\u003c\/a\u003e — $700.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-nine-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-at-110223-9sbs\"\u003eAntique Nine Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots, 44.7×11.6mm, pitch-black ground — At-110223-9SBS\u003c\/a\u003e — $1700.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-nine-stripe-chung-dzi-bead-pair-at-062626-9schung\"\u003eAntique Nine Stripe Chung Dzi Pair, 30.1×9.9mm \u0026amp; 30.2×9.5mm, agate — At-062626-9SChung\u003c\/a\u003e — $1500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-five-stripe-chung-dzi-terracotta-at-070622-5schung\"\u003eAntique Five Stripe Chung Dzi, 48.2×13.1mm, warm terracotta reddish-brown — At-070622-5SChung\u003c\/a\u003e — $1500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch5 class=\"text-text-200 mt-2.5 mb-1.5 text-sm font-bold\"\u003eNew \u0026amp; Vintage\u003c\/h5\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal mb-2\"\u003eModern and 1980s Taiwan-made stripe and natural-agate interpretations for learning and completion:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/new-bow-shaped-natural-banded-agate-dzi-n-n-062126-bow\"\u003eNew Bow Shaped Natural Banded Agate Dzi, banded multi-colour forms — Nat-B series\u003c\/a\u003e — $300.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\"\u003eWhat Is a Chung Dzi? Understanding Striped Agate Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/understanding-buddhism\"\u003eHow to Identify Genuine Antique Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe cord is gone. The ring it left behind is still there.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e📷 We never retouch our photos. Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e#AncientChungDzi #HeiBaiZhu #黑白珠 #SingleStripeDzi #AncientDziBead #TibetanDzi #MedicineDig #TibetanMedicine #BurialMineralDeposit #AncientDziShop #Ac061526-1SBW #BellyFormDzi #BicolourAgate #NaturalAgateDzi #TibetanBuddhistBead\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ancient Dzi Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43962113491110,"sku":null,"price":8000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/files\/Ancient_Single_Stripe_Chung_4.jpg?v=1788939440"},{"product_id":"ancient-five-stripe-cho-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-pale-cream-ac-061426-5schung","title":"Five Stripe Cho Dzi 措思天珠, 57.5 × 13.1mm, milky translucent grey-white, pitch-black bands (Ac-061426-5SChung)","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eEvery other striped dzi in this collection has a dark ground and a lighter stripe. This one is the inverse — and the ground is not just pale, it is translucent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe agate from which this bead was formed is milky and semi-translucent — the quality of fogged or frosted glass, where light enters the stone and diffuses within it rather than reflecting cleanly from the surface. The result is a ground that is not simply a pale colour but a material condition: cool milky grey-white, slightly luminous, with the internal diffusion of translucent chalcedony-type agate visible in every photograph. In Images 4 and 7 this quality is most apparent — the end cap tips and the ground zones between the stripe bands glow with a soft, interior light rather than the flat opacity of a surface colour. Against this translucent milky ground, the five pitch-black stripe bands read with an absolute, contained clarity — the deepest black element in the Chung dzi collection, set into a stone that seems to want to be light.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThis is a Five Stripe Cho Dzi (措思天珠) — a specific category within the Chung dzi tradition defined by both its stripe count and its etching technique. The Cho dzi process darkens selected zones of the agate surface to a deep, even black while leaving the untreated natural agate as the pale element. The result inverts the colour logic of every other Chung dzi in this collection, where the body ground is the dark zone and the stripe bands are lighter. Here the dark zones are the applied marks; the pale translucent agate is the field. This reversal is not merely visual — it reflects a different technical approach to the same stripe tradition, producing a different kind of object from the same vocabulary.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe five stripe bands are clean-edged, smooth-surfaced, and evenly saturated across all four face views. There is none of the rough granular mineralised texture of standard acid-etching — the band edges are sharp and contained, the black is consistent, the surface across both band and ground zones is polished to an exceptional gloss that reads as near-mirror quality in the photographs. The distinction between the frosted translucency of the milky ground and the opaque saturation of the pitch-black bands creates a surface contrast that is both immediate and refined — the two materials reading as completely different in character even before their colour difference registers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe milky ground does vary slightly across the four face views — slightly cooler and more clearly grey-white on Face D (Image 5), fractionally warmer and more diffused on Face B (Image 3). This variation is natural to the agate and reflects the stone's internal layering structure rotating into and out of alignment with the viewing angle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eAt 57.5mm × 13.1mm this is the longest bead in the Chung dzi group. The body form is an elongated fusiform with a slightly asymmetric bilateral taper — the left end tapers more gradually than the right (Images 6 and 7). Both tips are intact, both drill holes are clean and centred. No chips, no scratches, no surface damage of any kind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThis bead has no equivalent elsewhere in the collection. Every other Chung dzi carries a dark body and lighter bands; every other striped bead is acid-etched on a dark agate ground. This is the only Cho dzi technique piece listed, the only pale-ground striped bead, and the only translucent agate in the Chung dzi group.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Five Stripe Cho Dzi (五條措思天珠 \/ Wǔ Tiáo Cuòsī Tiānzhū)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe 措思天珠 (Cuòsī Tiānzhū) designation here refers to the Cho dzi category — a specific type of striped dzi bead identified by its etching technique, in which selected zones of the agate surface are treated to a deep black while the natural stone remains as the pale ground. This is distinct from the standard acid-etching technique used in most Chung dzi, where the body is darkened and the stripes are the resistant untreated zones. The Cho dzi technique produces a visually inverted result that has its own tradition and its own place within the broader Chung dzi family. Five stripes carry the stripe tradition's fundamental meaning — the continuous line, unbroken success, the path that holds its direction through every obstacle — in a stone where that meaning is expressed through the interplay of translucent milky agate and contained pitch-black: the ground as light, the mark as dark, and the contrast between them as the bead's defining quality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Five Stripe Cho Dzi (五條措思天珠 \/ Wǔ Tiáo Cuòsī Tiānzhū); five pitch-black stripe bands; Cho dzi etching technique; milky translucent grey-white agate ground; clean smooth band edges; three bands visible per face\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 57.5mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 13.1mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Elongated fusiform; slightly asymmetric bilateral taper; moderately rounded tips; widest at centre\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural milky semi-translucent agate — cool grey-white frosted ground with internal light diffusion; pitch-black Cho dzi etched stripe bands, clean-edged and smooth-surfaced; mirror-quality gloss across all zones\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge Estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 700–1,000 years\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Excellent. No chips. No scratches. No calcification. No tip damage. No rework. No medicine digs. Both drill holes clean and intact.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None observed\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ac-061426-5SChung\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/ancient-dzi-beads\"\u003eAncient Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/antique-dzi-beads\"\u003eAntique Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Striped \u0026amp; Banded Dzi Beads\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eOther authentic striped beads across the Chung dzi tradition, including ancient examples with contrasting etching approaches and material qualities:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAncient\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-grey-black-ac-101922-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, 39.3×13.9mm, Cool Grey-Black Ground, Silvery Grey-White Stripes\u003c\/a\u003e — 700–1,000 years, opposite polarity with striking pale bands\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-dark-brown-agate-scratches-ac-080620-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, 48.2×12.4mm, Warm Dark Brown Agate\u003c\/a\u003e — standard dark ground \/ light band approach, 700–1,000 years\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-single-stripe-chung-dzi-heibai-belly-ac-061526-1sbw\"\u003eAncient Single Stripe Chung Dzi, 26.3×9.7×7.8mm, Belly Form, Black \u0026amp; White Bicolour\u003c\/a\u003e — 800–1,000 years, natural agate polarity\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-nineteen-stripe-chung-dzi-pair-ac-080420-19schung\"\u003ePair of Ancient Nineteen Stripe Chung Dzi, 46.4×11.8mm \u0026amp; 46.9×11.6mm\u003c\/a\u003e — over 1,500 years, extreme stripe density\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAntique\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-five-stripe-chung-dzi-terracotta-at-070622-5schung\"\u003eAntique Five Stripe Chung Dzi, 48.2×13.1mm, Warm Terracotta Reddish-Brown Agate\u003c\/a\u003e — 300–500 years, dark ground standard etching\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-nine-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-at-110223-9sbs\"\u003eAntique Nine Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots, 44.7×11.6mm, Pitch-Black Ground\u003c\/a\u003e — 200–400 years, cinnabar marks on dark field\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-single-stripe-bow-shaped-chung-dzi-at-061526-1sbow\"\u003eAntique Single Stripe Chung Dzi, 38.1×11.5×8.9mm, Bow-Shaped, Tricolour Natural Agate\u003c\/a\u003e — 300–500 years, no etching, natural bicolour\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/chung-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-natural-bicolour-agate-at-020726-chung\"\u003eAntique Single Stripe Chung Dzi, 38.2×11.5mm, Ivory-Cream \u0026amp; Dark Grey-Brown\u003c\/a\u003e — 300–500 years, natural layered agate\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNew \u0026amp; Vintage\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-natural-banded-agate-dzi-bead-63mm-at-n-071426-nba\"\u003eAntique Naturally Banded Agate, 63.3×17.4mm, Pitch-Black \u0026amp; White Multi-Band\u003c\/a\u003e — no etching, genuine stone layering\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-natural-bow-shaped-dzi-bead-107mm-pitch-black-agate-at-n-071126-bow\"\u003eAntique Natural Bow-Shaped Dzi, 107.1×19.0×14.3mm, Pitch-Black Banded Agate\u003c\/a\u003e — large form, natural banding, exceptional piece\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-two-diamond-eye-dzi-bloodspots-1500-2000yr-anc-0426-2de\"\u003eAncient Two Eye Motif Dzi Bead Extremely Old\u003c\/a\u003e — on etching techniques, the Cho dzi tradition, and how surface and material character distinguish authentic ancient dzi\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/understanding-buddhism\/stripe-motif-dzi-meaning\"\u003eThe Meaning of the Stripe Motif in Dzi Tradition\u003c\/a\u003e — on the Chung dzi family, stripe count, and the distinctive place of the Cho dzi type within the tradition\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eFive pitch-black bands in a stone that reads like frosted glass — the same stripe tradition, and the only bead in the collection that carries it in translucent milky agate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e📷 We never retouch our photos. Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHashtags\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e#AncientDziShop #AncientDziBead #FiveStripeChoDzi #措思天珠 #CuosiTianzhu #ChoDzi #ChungDzi #瓊珠 #TranslucentAgate #TibetanDziBead #HimalayanBead #AncientBead #TibetanJewelry #Ac0614265SChung #MilkyAgateDzi\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ancient Dzi Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43962116538534,"sku":null,"price":8000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/files\/ancient_three_stripe_tso_dzi_1.jpg?v=1788939461"},{"product_id":"ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-agate-near-pitch-black-ac-081020-7schung","title":"Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, 49.4 × 11.9mm, near-pitch-black ground, 1,000–1,500 years (Ac-081020-7SChung)","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eSeven stripes on a ground this dark take a thousand years to read the way they do in these photographs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe seven etched stripe bands on this Chung dzi are not cream-white. They are golden-tan to warm sandy-brown — the characteristic tone that acid-etched bands develop on agate of this age when the etching medium has mineralised over centuries into a colour that reads as warm and organic rather than stark. Against the near-pitch-black ground they create a contrast that is muted, authoritative, and unlike anything produced by newer etching: the bands do not shout but they do not disappear, and at the age of 1,000–1,500 years the relationship between stripe and ground has reached a visual equilibrium that takes a very long time to arrive at.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe bead carries seven stripe bands distributed across its full circumference — approximately three to four registers visible from any single viewing angle, with the remaining bands wrapping to the reverse. The composition is confirmed across three face views: Face A (Image 2) shows the warmest reading of the dark ground, with a warm dark brown character between the golden-tan stripes; Face B (Image 3) reads cooler — a grey-black ground tone where the agate's mineral composition shifts; Face C (Image 4) is the most legible face, with the widest stripe registers and the clearest golden-tan to warm-brown band colour. This tonal variation between faces is natural to the agate and adds dimensionality to the bead across its rotation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe surface character across all five photographs tells the age story without requiring interpretation. The ground zones between the stripes carry mixed gloss and matte surfaces — the original polish survives on the hardest stone zones while gentler areas have weathered to a more matte, micro-pitted quality over the centuries. This differential surface — part reflective, part absorbed — is visible in the light catch in Images 2 and 3 and is one of the most reliable visual markers of genuine extreme age in an agate dzi. The stripe bands themselves show the rough, granular, mineralised edge quality of etching that has been in the stone for a very long time: not the sharp crisp edges of recent work, but softened, ingrained, part of the surface now rather than sitting on top of it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe body form is an elongated, acutely tapered fusiform — more sharply pointed at both ends than most dzi in the collection, giving the bead a lean, assertive profile that reads immediately as ancient in proportion. The drill holes at both ends are age-characteristic. The right end (Image 5) shows the enlarged, irregular-collared opening of ancient hand-drilling — a funnel-type entry worked rather than bored, with an irregular collar that no modern drill produces. The left end (Image 6) is comparatively cleaner, with the normal age weathering visible at the collar. Both passages are functional.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThis bead differs from every other stripe-motif piece in the collection in its age category alone. The six tiger stripe carnelian (At-070822-6TS) is antique at 200–500 years; the four stripe agate barrel (At-061426-4Str) is antique at 300–500 years. This bead pre-dates both by at least five centuries, carrying an age estimate that places it in the same category as the Fifteen Eye Lotus (Ac-122924-15EL) and the Twenty Stars (Ac-030625-20S). The seven-stripe Chung dzi format — seven bands on a dark ground in the ancient agate dzi tradition — is among the rarest stripe counts in the collection and carries the full weight of a thousand or more years of accumulated surface history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Seven Stripe Chung Dzi (七條瓊珠 \/ Qī Tiáo Qióng Zhū)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe Chung dzi (瓊珠) is the striped category of the dzi tradition — a bead defined by its horizontal band composition, its dark ground, and the ancient etching technique that produced its markings. Seven stripes carry the accumulated meaning of the stripe tradition multiplied sevenfold: the continuous line that does not end, the path that persists through every obstacle, the success that accumulates without interruption — present in seven simultaneous registers wrapping the full circumference of the bead. In Tibetan and Himalayan communities, stripe-count in a Chung dzi correlates directly with the perceived potency and rarity of the piece. A seven-stripe Chung dzi of this age is not a common encounter, and the golden-tan etching bands visible against the near-pitch-black ground in these photographs carry that rarity in their colour as much as in their number.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Seven Stripe Chung Dzi (七條瓊珠 \/ Qī Tiáo Qióng Zhū); seven acid-etched horizontal stripe bands; golden-tan to warm sandy-brown etching on near-pitch-black agate ground; full circumference coverage\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 49.4mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 11.9mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Elongated acutely tapered fusiform; sharply pointed end caps; widest at centre\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural agate — near-pitch-black to deep dark warm-brown body ground (tonal variation across faces); golden-tan to warm sandy-brown acid-etched stripe bands; mixed gloss and matte-weathered surface consistent with extreme age\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge Estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1,000–1,500 years\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Differential surface weathering across ground zones (natural, age-consistent, disclosed); enlarged irregular drill collar at right end (ancient hand-drilling, disclosed, Image 5); surface micro-pitting consistent with age category; no structural cracks; no rework; no medicine digs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None observed\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ac-081020-7SChung\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/ancient-dzi-beads\"\u003eAncient Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/antique-dzi-beads\"\u003eAntique Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou may also like\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-single-stripe-bow-shaped-chung-dzi-at-061526-1sbow\"\u003eAntique Single Stripe Bow Shaped Chung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e — single stripe Chung dzi, natural bicolour agate, ~500 years, same tradition at a fraction of the age, 38.2×11.5mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-six-tiger-stripe-carnelian-dzi-at-070822-6ts\"\u003eAntique Six Tiger Stripe Carnelian Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e — six etched stripes in carnelian tradition, 200–500 years, 50.7×12.9mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-five-stripe-chung-dzi-terracotta-at-070622-5schung\"\u003eAntique Five Stripe Chung Dzi Terracotta\u003c\/a\u003e — four etched stripes on agate, barrel form, 300–500 years, 32.3×14.3mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-round-eight-eye-lotus-dzi-bead-white-agate-ac-082326-8el\"\u003eAncient Eighteen Star Agate Dzi Pair\u003c\/a\u003e — comparable ancient age category, octagonal carnelian, 500–1,000 years\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-six-eye-lotus-motif-dzi-bead-tid-siel\"\u003eAncient Fifteen Eye Lotus Carnelian Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e — comparable extreme age, 1,000–2,000 years, heavily weathered surface\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/what-makes-a-dzi-bead-authentic\"\u003eWhat Makes a Dzi Bead Authentic?\u003c\/a\u003e — on reading differential surface weathering, ancient drill holes, and age markers in antique agate dzi\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/understanding-buddhism\/stripe-motif-dzi-meaning\"\u003eThe Meaning of the Stripe Motif in Dzi Tradition\u003c\/a\u003e — on the Chung dzi, stripe count, and the long tradition of horizontal banding in Tibetan protective beads\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eSeven stripes. A thousand years of surface. A ground so dark the golden bands have been earning their contrast ever since.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e📷 We never retouch our photos. Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHashtags\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e#AncientDziShop #AncientDziBead #SevenStripeChungDzi #ChungDzi #瓊珠 #QiTiaoQiongZhu #SevenStripeDzi #AgateDzi #TibetanDziBead #HimalayanBead #AncientBead #TibetanJewelry #Ac0810207SChung #RareAncientDzi #StripeDzi\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ancient Dzi Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43962411942054,"sku":null,"price":5000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/files\/20200810_015635_aa0d0478-bce9-46e4-8211-0f7396ad929e.jpg?v=1788939480"},{"product_id":"ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-warm-honey-brown-agate-ac-041320-7schung","title":"Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, 49.1 × 12.8mm, warm honey-brown agate, tip damage disclosed (Ac-041320-7SChung)","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e⚠️ \u003cstrong\u003eCondition disclosure: This bead has damage at both pointed tips — the right tip carries a more significant fracture; the left tip carries moderate damage. Both are photographed and fully disclosed in Images 3, 6, and 7. Please review all images carefully before purchasing.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe first thing that separates this bead from every other seven-stripe Chung dzi is the ground — and the ground here is warm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe collection holds one other seven-stripe Chung dzi (Ac-081020-7SChung). That bead's ground is near-pitch-black to deep dark warm-brown — the darkened, opaque body of a deeply treated ancient agate. This bead is its opposite in ground character. The agate here is warm honey-brown to warm grey-brown, semi-translucent, with the characteristic quality of a lighter-toned stone that allows light to pass through rather than absorbing it. In Images 4 and 7 — the end cap zones in particular — the translucency of the agate is plainly visible: the stone glows from within, showing internal light rather than presenting an opaque surface. This is a different geological expression of the same bead tradition, and the visual result is a piece that reads as warmer, lighter, and more open than its counterpart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe seven etched stripe bands on this bead run sandy-tan to sandy-grey — the same mineralised granular character as the first seven-stripe Chung, but reading against a warm translucent ground rather than a near-pitch-black one. Between the stripe bands, the etching treatment has darkened the body zones to pitch-black or near-pitch-black, creating the characteristic Chung dzi contrast: dark etched ground, lighter stripe. On this bead, unusually, the stripe bands are the lighter element and the inter-stripe zones the darkest — while the natural agate ground in the untreated end cap zones is the warmest and lightest of all. The progression from warm honey-brown end cap through darkened pitch-black body zone to sandy-tan stripe and back again creates a tonal layering that is specific to this bead's particular agate and treatment history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe tonal variation across the four face views is characteristic of the natural agate structure. Face A (Image 2) and Face C (Image 4) read warmest, with the honey-brown translucent quality most evident. Face D (Image 5) reads slightly cooler and darker, where the agate's mineral composition shifts toward a greyer tone. All four faces confirm the same seven-stripe Chung composition with the same sandy-tan band colour and darkened inter-stripe zones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe surface of the body zones carries the mixed gloss and micro-pitted character of extreme age — the original polish survives on the hardest agate zones while softer areas have developed a matte, textured patina. A natural surface dig mark is visible in the lower field of Face A (Image 2), age-consistent and not structural.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTip damage — full disclosure.\u003c\/strong\u003e Both pointed end tips have sustained damage. The right tip (Images 3 and 6) carries a more significant fracture — material is missing from the pointed end, with rough exposed interior agate visible. The drill hole at the right end is intact within the damaged zone and functional. The left tip (Image 7) carries moderate damage with an irregular fracture edge; the drill hole here is clearly visible, showing a warm reddish-orange interior characteristic of ancient drill passages where the inner stone colour differs from the outer surface. Neither tip fracture affects the body of the bead, the stripe motif, or the structural integrity of either drill passage. Both are old — smooth-edged and well-integrated with the overall surface age of the piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Seven Stripe Chung Dzi (七條瓊珠 \/ Qī Tiáo Qióng Zhū)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe Chung dzi (瓊珠) is the striped category of the dzi tradition — a bead defined by its horizontal band composition and the ancient etching technique that created its markings on a natural agate ground. Seven stripes carry the accumulated meaning of the stripe motif concentrated into a rare high count: the continuous line that does not end, the success that persists and compounds, the path that holds its direction through seven complete registers wrapping the full circumference. Seven-stripe Chung dzi of this age category are among the rarest pieces in the Chung tradition. Where single or three-stripe examples are more frequently encountered, a bead carrying seven distinct stripe bands at 1,000–1,500 years represents a convergence of motif complexity and extreme age that very few collections hold. The warm translucent agate of this particular piece adds a further dimension to its character — the stone itself is unusual in the collection, and the interaction between its honey-brown ground and the darkened etched zones creates a surface that rewards sustained attention.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Seven Stripe Chung Dzi (七條瓊珠 \/ Qī Tiáo Qióng Zhū); seven acid-etched horizontal stripe bands; sandy-tan to sandy-grey etched lines; pitch-black darkened inter-stripe zones; warm honey-brown to warm grey-brown translucent agate ground in untreated end cap zones\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 49.1mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 12.8mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Elongated fusiform; pointed end caps (both damaged); widest at centre\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural agate — warm honey-brown to warm grey-brown semi-translucent ground; pitch-black darkened etched body zones between stripe bands; sandy-tan to sandy-grey acid-etched stripe bands; warm reddish-orange drill channel interior (left end); mixed gloss and matte-weathered surface\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge Estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1,000–1,500 years\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e ⚠️ Right tip fracture — significant chip at pointed end, drill hole intact (Images 3 and 6). Left tip moderate damage — irregular fracture edge, drill hole intact and visible (Image 7). Natural surface dig mark on Face A lower field (Image 2). No body cracks. No rework. No medicine digs. Both drill passages functional.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None observed\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ac-041320-7SChung\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/ancient-dzi-beads\"\u003eAncient Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/antique-dzi-beads\"\u003eAntique Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompanion Chung Dzi \u0026amp; Related Stripe Motifs\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eSeven-stripe Chung dzi share the etched stripe tradition with other rare high-count beads. Below are related examples across the ancient, antique, and new collections.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAncient\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eAncient examples represent extreme age (500+ years) and are the closest companions to this piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-agate-near-pitch-black-ac-081020-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, 49.4×11.9mm, near-pitch-black ground, 1,000–1,500 years (Ac-081020-7SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — the direct companion bead with darkened ground and golden-tan stripe bands, 1,000–1,500 years, $5000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-dark-brown-agate-scratches-ac-080620-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, 48.2×12.4mm, warm dark brown agate, 1,000–1,500 years (Ac-080620-7SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — seven etched stripes on warm brown ground with minor scratches disclosed, extreme age, $5000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-five-stripe-cho-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-pale-cream-ac-061426-5schung\"\u003eAncient Five Stripe Cho Dzi (措思天珠), 57.5×13.1mm, milky translucent grey-white with pitch-black bands, 1,000–1,500 years (Ac-061426-5SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — rare pale translucent ground with five etched stripes, comparable tradition, $8000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-single-stripe-chung-dzi-heibai-belly-ac-061526-1sbw\"\u003eAncient Single Stripe Chung Dzi (黑白珠), 26.3×9.7×7.8mm, belly form with medicine-chipped ends, 1,000+ years (Ac-061526-1SBW)\u003c\/a\u003e — earliest example of the Chung tradition, single stripe on bicolour ground, $8000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAntique\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eAntique Chung dzi (100–500 years) offer more accessible examples of stripe motif beads with authentic age and patina.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-nine-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-at-110223-9sbs\"\u003eAntique Nine Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots, 44.7×11.6mm, pitch-black ground, 200–500 years (At-110223-9SBS)\u003c\/a\u003e — nine etched stripes with cinnabar inclusions, highest stripe count in antique range, $1700.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-five-stripe-chung-dzi-terracotta-at-070622-5schung\"\u003eAntique Five Stripe Chung Dzi, 48.2×13.1mm, warm terracotta reddish-brown agate, 200–500 years (At-070622-5SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — five etched stripes on warm ground, distinctive colour, $1500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-single-stripe-chung-dzi-pair-bicone-brown-at-081123-1spair\"\u003eAntique Single Stripe Chung Dzi Pair, 15.7×11.5mm \u0026amp; 15.8×11.5mm, warm dark brown with greying stripe, bicone form, 200–500 years (At-081123-1SPair)\u003c\/a\u003e — matched pair of smaller single-stripe beads, classic Chung tradition, $800.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-single-stripe-bow-shaped-chung-dzi-at-061526-1sbow\"\u003eAntique Single Stripe Bow-Shaped Chung Dzi, 38.1×11.5×8.9mm, tricolour natural agate, 200–500 years (At-061526-1SBow)\u003c\/a\u003e — single stripe on rare bow form with three natural agate tones, $700.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNew \u0026amp; Vintage\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eModern and vintage examples provide accessible entry points to the stripe motif tradition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/vintage-double-wave-motif-dzi-bead-v-071425-dw\"\u003eVintage Double Wave Motif Dzi Bead, 31.8×11.6mm, black and brown agate, 1980s Taiwan (V-071425-DW)\u003c\/a\u003e — wave pattern as etched stripe variant, warm vintage patina, $500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/new-double-wave-motif-dzi-bead-dark-brown-honey-brown-n-062226-dw3\"\u003eNew Double Wave Motif Dzi Bead, 57.8×12.6mm, very dark brown agate with honey-brown end caps (N-062226-DW3)\u003c\/a\u003e — modern wave stripe motif with warm toned ground, $200.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/what-makes-a-dzi-bead-authentic\"\u003eWhat Makes a Dzi Bead Authentic?\u003c\/a\u003e — on reading differential surface weathering, ancient drill holes, and age markers in antique agate dzi\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/understanding-buddhism\/stripe-motif-dzi-meaning\"\u003eThe Meaning of the Stripe Motif in Dzi Tradition\u003c\/a\u003e — on the Chung dzi, stripe count, and the long tradition of horizontal banding in Tibetan protective beads\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eSeven stripes on a ground that lets the light through — the same ancient tradition, read in a completely different stone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e📷 We never retouch our photos. Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHashtags\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e#AncientDziShop #AncientDziBead #SevenStripeChungDzi #ChungDzi #瓊珠 #QiTiaoQiongZhu #SevenStripeDzi #AgateDzi #TibetanDziBead #HimalayanBead #AncientBead #TibetanJewelry #Ac0413207SChung #RareAncientDzi #WarmAgateD zi\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ancient Dzi Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43962418004134,"sku":null,"price":5000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/files\/20200413_022209_dbf6f66f-86aa-450f-a822-194dbced3576.jpg?v=1788934151"},{"product_id":"ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-dark-brown-agate-scratches-ac-080620-7schung","title":"Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, 48.2 × 12.4mm, warm dark brown agate, scratch marks disclosed (Ac-080620-7SChung)","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e⚠️ \u003cstrong\u003eCondition disclosure: This bead has two fine surface scratch marks on opposite sides. Both are fully photographed in Images 2, 3, 4, and 7. They are surface marks only — not cracks, not structural. Please review all images carefully before purchasing.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThis is the third seven-stripe Chung dzi in the collection, and the scratch lines on its surface are the most visible thing about it — so they are the first thing disclosed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eTwo fine scratch marks run across opposite sides of this bead, each crossing the dark body zone between the stripe bands. They are documented in four photographs: Images 2 and 3 show each scratch in the full face views; Images 4 and 7 show them at close range where their character becomes unambiguous. Both are surface contact marks — fine, white, running at slight diagonals across the dark ground. At macro resolution (Image 4) the surrounding etching is clearly intact on either side of each scratch: the granular mineralised texture of the stripe bands is undisturbed, and the body surface continues uninterrupted beyond the scratch line. Neither mark is a crack, neither has broken the surface continuity of the stone, and neither affects the structural integrity of the bead. They are disclosed in full because that is what unretouched photography is for.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWith that said: the rest of this bead's surface tells the same thousand-year story as its two companion seven-stripe Chungs in the collection, and tells it in a ground colour that positions this bead between the other two. Ac-081020-7SChung has a near-pitch-black body. Ac-041320-7SChung has a warm honey-brown semi-translucent ground. This bead sits in the middle register: a warm dark brown to grey-brown that is opaque where the first Chung's ground is translucent, and warmer where the first Chung's ground is near-black. The left end cap (Image 9) deepens to near-pitch-black — a localised darkening at the tip that reads distinctly darker than the body zone. The right end cap (Image 8) is warmer and lighter. This end-to-end tonal variation within a single bead is natural to the agate and gives this piece a different internal character from either of its companions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe seven etched stripe bands read as sandy-tan to sandy-grey against the dark body. At macro resolution in Images 4 and 7 the etching texture is exceptional: the stripe bands show the most heavily mineralised, deeply granular surface of the three seven-stripe Chungs in the collection — the rough, pitted, encrusted surface of etching that has been in the stone for a very long time. The pitch-black darkened zones between the stripes are smooth and high-gloss where the original polish survives, with micro-pitting in areas where the surface has weathered over the centuries. The combination of high-gloss polished dark zones and rough mineralised stripe bands — visible in every full face view — is the signature surface character of an ancient Chung dzi at this age category.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eBoth tips are intact, confirmed in Images 8 and 9. The drill holes at each end are clean and age-consistent. No chips, no fractures at either end — the only condition items on this bead are the two disclosed surface scratches.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Seven Stripe Chung Dzi (七條瓊珠 \/ Qī Tiáo Qióng Zhū)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe Chung dzi (瓊珠) is the striped category of the dzi tradition — a bead defined by its horizontal band composition and the ancient etching technique that created its markings on a natural agate ground. Seven stripes are among the highest counts in the Chung tradition, concentrating the meaning of the continuous line — unbroken success, persistent forward movement, the path that holds its direction — into seven simultaneous registers wrapping the full circumference of the bead. At 1,000–1,500 years, a seven-stripe Chung dzi carries an age that predates most institutions, most cities, and almost every object in daily use. The scratch marks on this bead's surface are not failures of that history — they are part of it: marks left by a thousand years of handling, wearing, storing, and passing between hands across a span of time that no documentation can fully account for.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Seven Stripe Chung Dzi (七條瓊珠 \/ Qī Tiáo Qióng Zhū); seven acid-etched horizontal stripe bands; sandy-tan to sandy-grey etched lines; pitch-black darkened inter-stripe zones; warm dark brown to grey-brown agate ground; near-pitch-black darkening at left end cap\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 48.2mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 12.4mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Elongated fusiform; intact tips at both ends; slightly asymmetric taper; widest at centre\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural agate — warm dark brown to grey-brown body ground with tonal variation across faces; near-pitch-black left end cap zone; sandy-tan to sandy-grey acid-etched stripe bands; mixed gloss and matte-weathered surface consistent with extreme age\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge Estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1,000–1,500 years\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e ⚠️ Two fine surface scratch marks on opposite sides — surface contact marks only, not cracks, not structural, fully documented in Images 2, 3, 4, and 7. Both tips intact. No tip chips or fractures. No structural cracks. No rework. No medicine digs. Both drill holes clean and intact.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None observed\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ac-080620-7SChung\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/ancient-dzi-beads\"\u003eAncient Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/antique-dzi-beads\"\u003eAntique Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou may also like\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-grey-black-ac-101922-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi (Ac-081020-7SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — companion seven-stripe Chung dzi, near-pitch-black ground, golden-tan bands, intact tips, no scratches, 49.4×11.9mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-dark-brown-agate-scratches-ac-080620-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi Warm Brown\u003c\/a\u003e — companion seven-stripe Chung dzi, warm honey-brown semi-translucent ground, tip damage at both ends, 49.1×12.8mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/chung-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-natural-bicolour-agate-at-020726-chung\"\u003eAntique Single Stripe Chung Dzi (At-020726-Chung)\u003c\/a\u003e — single stripe Chung dzi, natural bicolour agate, ~500 years, 38.2×11.5mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-six-tiger-stripe-carnelian-dzi-at-070822-6ts\"\u003eAntique Six Tiger Stripe Carnelian Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e — six etched stripes, carnelian tradition, 200–500 years, 50.7×12.9mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-six-eye-lotus-motif-dzi-bead-tid-siel\"\u003eAncient Fifteen Eye Lotus Carnelian Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e — comparable extreme age, 1,000–2,000 years, heavily weathered surface\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/what-makes-a-dzi-bead-authentic\"\u003eWhat Makes a Dzi Bead Authentic?\u003c\/a\u003e — on reading surface age markers, ancient etching texture, and the difference between scratches and cracks in antique agate dzi\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/understanding-buddhism\/stripe-motif-dzi-meaning\"\u003eThe Meaning of the Stripe Motif in Dzi Tradition\u003c\/a\u003e — on the Chung dzi, stripe count, and the long tradition of horizontal banding in Tibetan protective beads\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eA thousand years leaves marks. These two have been photographed from every angle, and they are part of the surface now.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e📷 We never retouch our photos. Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHashtags\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e#AncientDziShop #AncientDziBead #SevenStripeChungDzi #ChungDzi #瓊珠 #QiTiaoQiongZhu #SevenStripeDzi #AgateDzi #TibetanDziBead #HimalayanBead #AncientBead #TibetanJewelry #Ac0806207SChung #RareAncientDzi #StripeDzi\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ancient Dzi Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43962418069670,"sku":null,"price":5000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/files\/20200806_131136_1d7ef3e5-2d16-4040-81bc-cf1808b37aba.jpg?v=1788934264"},{"product_id":"ancient-nineteen-stripe-chung-dzi-pair-ac-080420-19schung","title":"Pair of Ancient Nineteen Stripe Chung Dzi, 46.4×11.8mm \u0026 46.9×11.6mm, over 1,500 years (Ac-080420-19SChung)","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eAround the drill holes of Bead A, the stone has turned blue-green — and that colour is not the agate. It is the chemistry of burial, preserved for over fifteen hundred years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWhat is visible in Images 3 and 6 around the drill hole openings of Bead A is a ring of blue-green mineral crust: a deposit that forms through long-term contact between agate and the mineral-rich compounds present in burial soil — copper-bearing minerals, silicates, and carbonates that interact with the stone surface over centuries and leave their own permanent record. It cannot be replicated. It cannot be applied. It is among the most direct physical evidence of extreme age that a bead can carry, and it is visible in the photographs exactly as it is. Bead B carries its own record differently — a deep, rough, pervasive weathering that has softened every stripe edge and settled into every pore of the surface across its full body length. Together, these two beads have had different experiences of the same long passage of time, and both are legible.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eNineteen stripes. This is the highest stripe count of any bead in the collection — more than double the nine-stripe antique \u003cstrong\u003eAt-110223-9SBS\u003c\/strong\u003e, nearly three times the ancient seven-stripe pieces. On a bead body of 46–47mm, nineteen bands means the stripes and ground intervals between them are compressed into narrow, tightly spaced registers that give the surface a dense, ribbed character unlike anything else in this collection. The stripes are sandy-tan to warm grey-tan in colour — not the bright white of the younger Chung dzi, but a colour that has absorbed centuries of patina — on a deep dark grey-brown to near-pitch-black ground that has itself been transformed by age and weathering until its original blackness reads now as something deeper and less uniform.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe body form of each bead is a true long cylinder — tubular, with only the slightest rounding at the ends. There is no fusiform taper. Both beads measure nearly identical lengths (46.4mm and 46.9mm) with diameters of 11.8mm and 11.6mm respectively, but they are not mechanically identical: Bead A carries heavier surface encrustation and the distinctive burial mineral deposit at its drill holes; Bead B shows slightly more surface definition in the stripe bands on its lateral faces, with its own pervasive weathering of a different character. The drill holes on both beads are large and irregularly shaped — ancient hand-drilling technique, enlarged further through centuries of cord wear at the hole edges.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe surface of both beads is entirely matte. There is no gloss remaining on either bead — not on the ground zones, not on the stripe bands. The surfaces have been transformed by time into something granular, textured, and complex: mineral deposits have settled into the stripe surfaces; the dark ground zones show rough weathering throughout. In every other Chung dzi in this collection — including the ancient seven-stripe pieces estimated at 1,000–1,500 years — some surface gloss survives. On these two beads, at over 1,500 years, it does not.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eNo other listing in the collection is a pair of ancient Chung dzi. The seven-stripe ancient group — \u003cstrong\u003eAc-081020-7SChung\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-agate-near-pitch-black-ac-081020-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi Agate Near Pitch Black\u003c\/a\u003e), \u003cstrong\u003eAc-041320-7SChung\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-warm-honey-brown-agate-ac-041320-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi Warm Honey Brown Agate\u003c\/a\u003e), and \u003cstrong\u003eAc-080620-7SChung\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-dark-brown-agate-scratches-ac-080620-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi Dark Brown Agate Scratches\u003c\/a\u003e) — are all single beads, all estimated at 1,000–1,500 years, and none carries burial mineral deposits at the drill holes or the complete loss of surface gloss that defines this pair. This listing is the oldest Chung dzi in the collection, sold as an inseparable pair.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch4 class=\"text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold\"\u003eThe Nineteen Stripe Motif — 瓊珠十九線紋\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eNineteen stripe Chung dzi (瓊珠十九線紋) are among the rarest stripe counts in the Tibetan and Himalayan bead tradition. Numbers above nine do not follow the same cosmological symbolism as the lower counts — they are not read numerologically in the same way. Instead, high-stripe beads are valued for the density of the composition itself: the accumulation of continuous unbroken circuits around the bead's body, each stripe another layer of protection, another unbroken line of fortune that cannot be crossed. Nineteen circuits. Nineteen unbroken lines. In collections where such pieces survive, they are regarded not as beads of a single quality but as beads that have gathered quality through sheer repetition — each stripe one more layer between the wearer and misfortune.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nineteen stripe (十九線紋); nineteen narrow acid-etched horizontal bands per bead; sandy-tan to warm grey-tan stripes on deep dark grey-brown to near-pitch-black weathered ground; stripe edges softened through surface weathering; dense compressed banding composition\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bead A: 46.4mm; Bead B: 46.9mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bead A: 11.8mm; Bead B: 11.6mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e True long cylinder (tubular); minimal end taper; large irregularly shaped drill holes at both ends of each bead (ancient hand-drill with cord-wear enlargement)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural agate; deep dark grey-brown to near-pitch-black weathered ground; sandy-tan to warm grey-tan acid-etched stripe bands; entirely matte surface — no gloss remaining\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge Estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Over 1,500 years\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Heavy pervasive surface weathering and mineral encrustation throughout both beads (age markers, fully disclosed); blue-green burial mineral deposit crust around both drill hole openings on Bead A (disclosed, Images 3 and 6); stripe edges softened through weathering; small white mineral spot on Bead B right end cap (disclosed, Image 7); no chips; no structural cracks visible\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ac-080420-19SChung\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/ancient-chung-dzi\"\u003eAncient Chung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/ancient-dzi-beads\"\u003eAncient Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou may also like:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-agate-near-pitch-black-ac-081020-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi Agate Near Pitch Black\u003c\/a\u003e — Seven stripes, acutely tapered fusiform, 1,000–1,500 yrs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-warm-honey-brown-agate-ac-041320-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi Warm Honey Brown Agate\u003c\/a\u003e — Seven stripes, warm honey-brown ground, 1,000–1,500 yrs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-dark-brown-agate-scratches-ac-080620-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi Dark Brown Agate Scratches\u003c\/a\u003e — Seven stripes, grey-brown ground, surface scratch marks, 1,000–1,500 yrs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-nine-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-at-110223-9sbs\"\u003eAntique Nine Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots — At-110223-9SBS\u003c\/a\u003e — Nine stripes, pitch-black ground, cinnabar, 300–500 yrs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\"\u003eWhat Is a Chung Dzi? Understanding Striped Agate Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/understanding-buddhism\"\u003eHow to Identify Genuine Antique Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eNineteen unbroken lines. Over fifteen hundred years. Two beads that have kept count of every one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e📷 We never retouch our photos. Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e#AncientChungDzi #NineteenStripeDzi #ChungDzi #AncientDziBead #TibetanDzi #DziBead #HimalayanBead #BurialMineralDeposit #1500YearsDzi #AncientAgateDzi #AncientDziShop #Ac080420-19SChung #DziPair #AncientDziPair #TibetanBuddhistBead\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ancient Dzi Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43962418233510,"sku":null,"price":4000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/files\/20200804_022457_67daaa25-ba2e-46d6-9cd3-911bcb5b1f8c.jpg?v=1788939496"},{"product_id":"ancient-single-stripe-chung-dzi-pair-bicone-ac-061526-1spair","title":"Pair of Ancient Single Stripe Chung Dzi, 25.4×9.2mm \u0026 25.2×9.4mm, pale and dark bicone pair (Ac-061526-1SPair)","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eOne of these beads is pale and one is dark — and the single stripe across each one is the same deposit on two opposite stones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eBead A is a cool milky pale grey-white, its ground almost luminous, natural honey-brown and dark brown agate banding moving through the pale material like slow currents. Bead B is a deep dark grey-brown at its body, nearly pitch-black at its darker end cap, with warm honey-brown agate variation emerging at one tip like a colour hidden inside the stone. They were not selected to match. They were selected to pair — and the calcification stripe that runs across the central body of each bead is the same material, the same mineral accumulation, on two stones that couldn't be more different from each other.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThat calcification zone — the \"single stripe\" — is not an acid-etched line. It is a broad band of natural mineral deposit: sandy-grey to warm grey-white, rough and granular in texture, built up across the central body of each bead over centuries through contact with mineral-rich environments. Within the deposit, a thin bright white mineral line runs horizontally through the centre — the most defined line in the zone, visible on both beads across multiple photographs. The edges of the deposit are irregular — softened and uneven in the way that natural accumulation always is, as distinct from the crisp edges of an etched stripe as anything can be. This same character of calcification appears on \u003cstrong\u003eAt-030420-1SNP\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-natural-patina-agate-dzi-cylinder-at-030420-1snp\"\u003eAntique Natural Patina Agate Dzi Cylinder\u003c\/a\u003e); the difference here is that these two beads are ancient rather than antique, paired rather than single, and their body form is unlike anything else in the collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe form is a bicone — two truncated cones meeting at a sharp shoulder ridge at the widest point of the body, tapering to bullet-rounded tips at both ends. Not fusiform. Not cylindrical. Not barrel-shaped. The double-cone shoulder ridge is clearly visible in all lateral photographs and gives both beads a compact, angular mass that is entirely different from any elongated bead in the Chung dzi group. At 25mm length and approximately 9mm diameter, they are short and wide relative to their length — more gem-like in proportion than the long tubular ancient nineteen-stripe pair \u003cstrong\u003eAc-080420-19SChung\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-nineteen-stripe-chung-dzi-pair-ac-080420-19schung\"\u003eAncient Nineteen Stripe Chung Dzi Pair\u003c\/a\u003e) or the elongated fusiform ancient seven-stripe beads.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eBoth beads carry high-gloss polish on their ground zones — the pale agate of Bead A catches long white highlight streaks across its surface, and the dark ground of Bead B reflects an equally strong gloss. This is a surface that has been worn smooth and polished through centuries of handling, not a matte weathered piece. The drill holes at both tips are small and centrally placed; the interior drill channels show warm honey-brown to reddish-orange agate colour (confirmed in Images 8 and 9), with Bead B's warm-toned tip end — visible in Image 9 — a particularly striking contrast against its dark body exterior. Condition disclosures: a small S-shaped mineral swirl inclusion on Bead A's left ground zone (Image 2, fully disclosed); surface roughness and a small chip area on Bead B's right end cap (Images 5, 7, 8, fully disclosed). No structural cracks on either bead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch4 class=\"text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold\"\u003eThe Single Stripe Motif — 瓊珠一線紋\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe single stripe (瓊珠一線紋) represents an unbroken circuit — a line without beginning or end that encircles the bead completely, dividing it into two zones while connecting them through its own continuity. In Tibetan and Himalayan collecting tradition, the single stripe is associated with unbroken success and the persistence of fortune across time. On this pair, the stripe reads entirely differently on each bead — nearly invisible against Bead A's pale ground in certain lights, boldly contrasting on Bead B's dark surface — but the meaning is the same: one unbroken line on each stone, held there by the earth itself rather than by human craft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Single stripe (一線紋); one broad natural calcification deposit band across central body of each bead; thin bright white mineral line within deposit zone; NOT acid-etched — natural mineral accumulation; irregular deposit edges consistent with natural formation\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bead A: 25.4mm; Bead B: 25.2mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bead A: 9.2mm; Bead B: 9.4mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bicone (double-cone); two truncated cones meeting at sharp shoulder ridge at mid-body; bullet-rounded tips; short wide proportions; small centrally placed drill holes at both tips\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bead A — cool milky pale grey-white natural agate with warm honey-brown and dark brown natural banding; Bead B — deep dark grey-brown to near-pitch-black natural agate with warm honey-brown variation zones and warm honey-brown \/ reddish-orange tip; both with sandy-grey to warm grey-white natural calcification central stripe; high-gloss polished surface on both\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge Estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 600–800 years\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Small S-shaped mineral swirl inclusion on Bead A left ground zone (disclosed, Image 2); surface roughness and small chip on Bead B right end cap (disclosed, Images 5, 7, 8); no structural cracks; calcification deposit stable on both beads\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ac-061526-1SPair\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/ancient-chung-dzi\"\u003eAncient Chung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/ancient-dzi-beads\"\u003eAncient Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou may also like:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-natural-patina-agate-dzi-cylinder-at-030420-1snp\"\u003eAntique Natural Patina Agate Dzi Cylinder\u003c\/a\u003e — Single natural calcification stripe, cylindrical, warm tobacco-brown, 300–500 yrs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-nineteen-stripe-chung-dzi-pair-ac-080420-19schung\"\u003eAncient Nineteen Stripe Chung Dzi Pair\u003c\/a\u003e — Ancient pair, tubular cylinder, over 1,500 yrs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/chung-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-natural-bicolour-agate-at-020726-chung\"\u003eAntique Single Stripe Chung Dzi — At-020726-Chung\u003c\/a\u003e — Natural bicolour agate, single dark natural band, fusiform, ~500 yrs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-single-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-pitch-black-white-ac-061426-1schungbs\"\u003eAncient Single Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots — Ac-061426-1SChungBS\u003c\/a\u003e — Pitch-black stripe, mosaic calcification, cinnabar, 1,500–2,000 yrs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\"\u003eWhat Is a Chung Dzi? Understanding Striped Agate Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/understanding-buddhism\"\u003eHow to Identify Genuine Antique Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eOne stripe. Two stones. Six hundred years of the earth deciding where it settles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e📷 We never retouch our photos. Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e#AncientChungDzi #SingleStripeDzi #ChungDziPair #BiconeAgate #AncientDziPair #TibetanDzi #DziBead #AncientDziBead #HimalayanBead #NaturalCalcification #AncientDziShop #Ac061526-1SPair #DziPair #NaturalPatinaDzi #TibetanBuddhistBead\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ancient Dzi Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43967134597286,"sku":null,"price":3500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/files\/20210728_020749_e5d4d40e-eeab-4fe4-ae37-5c12d60ebd91.jpg?v=1788939547"},{"product_id":"ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-grey-black-ac-101922-7schung","title":"Ancient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, 39.3×13.9mm, cool grey-black ground, silvery grey-white stripes (Ac-101922-7SChung)","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThis bead operates in three tones only — grey, black, and white — and the way those three tones are distributed is what makes it unlike any other piece in the collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe ground is a deep cool grey-black, shifting toward near-pitch-black at the central body zones and the upper ridge, and softening to a translucent cool dark grey at the end cap zones where the underlying agate shows through. Against this ground, seven narrow silvery grey-white stripe bands run across the body. The stripes are not bright white — they are a cooler, slightly muted grey-white, with rough granular texture at their edges consistent with aged acid etching that has weathered over five centuries into the surface of the stone. The combination — cool dark grey-black field, narrow silvery grey-white lines, rough textured stripe edges — produces a palette that reads as austere and precise. No warm tones. No colour contrast. Three values only: dark, mid, and light, all in the same grey register.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe body form reinforces this character. At 39.3×13.9mm, this is the most compact Chung dzi in the collection by proportion — the lowest length-to-diameter ratio of any piece in the group. Where other fusiform Chung dzi extend their bodies over 40 to 57mm, this one achieves its form in a short, wide silhouette. The seven stripe bands are concentrated across this compact body, and from any lateral face the narrow silvery lines against the dominant dark ground read as compressed and dense rather than spread across a long body.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe dark ground carries a natural pale spotting pattern distributed across its surface — small pale mineral inclusions within the agate, visible as light-toned spots against the dark background throughout the lateral photographs. These are natural sub-surface agate inclusions: not bloodspots (there is no warm reddish colouration characteristic of cinnabar), not surface damage, but the stone's own internal mineral variation rendered visible through the darkened surface. They are disclosed here fully.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eBoth drill hole end caps show a translucent cool grey agate at the tips — lighter in tone than the dark body, confirming the darkening of the ground zone is etching chemistry rather than the agate's base colour. The drill holes are small and centrally placed. A small ink inscription is visible near the right end area in Image 5 — a previous seller's stock marking, disclosed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eNo other seven-stripe Chung dzi in this collection shares this combination. The three ancient seven-stripe beads at 1,000–1,500 years — \u003cstrong\u003eAc-081020-7SChung\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-agate-near-pitch-black-ac-081020-7schung\"\u003eSeS-1\u003c\/a\u003e), \u003cstrong\u003eAc-041320-7SChung\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-warm-honey-brown-agate-ac-041320-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi Warm Honey Brown Agate\u003c\/a\u003e), and \u003cstrong\u003eAc-080620-7SChung\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-dark-brown-agate-scratches-ac-080620-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi Dark Brown Agate Scratches\u003c\/a\u003e) — are all longer fusiform pieces estimated at 1,000–1,500 years with sandy-tan to sandy-grey stripe colours. The antique \u003cstrong\u003eAt-061920-7SChung\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-warm-honey-brown-agate-ac-041320-7schung\"\u003eAntique Seven Stripe Chung Dzi Honey Brown Agate\u003c\/a\u003e) is 200–300 years old with a honey-brown semi-translucent ground. The vintage \u003cstrong\u003eV-052222-7SChung\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-dark-brown-agate-scratches-ac-080620-7schung\"\u003eVintage Seven Stripe\u003c\/a\u003e) is circa year 2000 with cream-white stripes on a warm chocolate-brown elongated fusiform body. This bead sits between the ancient and antique categories at 500–700 years, with a strictly grey-black-white palette, the most compact body form in the Chung dzi group, and the natural pale mineral spotting within its dark ground.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch4 class=\"text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold\"\u003eThe Seven Stripe Motif — 瓊珠七線紋\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eSeven is among the most cosmologically significant numbers in Tibetan and Buddhist tradition — seven offerings on the altar, seven steps of the newborn Buddha, seven branches of devotional prayer. A seven-stripe Chung dzi (瓊珠七線紋) carries seven unbroken circuits around its body: seven complete loops of protection, seven layers of continuity, seven expressions of unending fortune. In the Himalayan collecting tradition the seven-stripe bead is understood as a bead of complete sacred number — balanced, contained, and whole. On this ancient piece, those seven circuits have persisted for five centuries across a ground that has deepened toward black with time, the pale stripe lines holding their positions through everything the stone has passed through.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Seven stripe (七線紋); seven narrow acid-etched horizontal bands; silvery grey-white stripe colour with rough granular texture at edges (age-consistent with 500–700-year-old etching); deep cool grey-black to near-pitch-black dominant ground; strictly grey-black-white colour palette throughout\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 39.3mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 13.9mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Very short wide fusiform; most compact length-to-diameter ratio in Chung dzi collection; small centrally placed drill holes at both ends; translucent cool grey agate at end caps\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural agate; deep cool grey-black to near-pitch-black ground with natural colour variation (lightening to translucent cool grey at end caps); silvery grey-white acid-etched stripe bands; natural pale mineral inclusion spotting across dark ground surface; high-gloss on dark ground zones\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge Estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 500–700 years\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural pale mineral inclusion spotting distributed across dark ground surface (natural agate feature, disclosed, visible throughout lateral photographs); small ink inscription near right end (previous seller stock marking, disclosed, Image 5); no chips; no cracks; no medicine digs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None (pale spotting confirmed as natural mineral agate inclusions, not cinnabar)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ac-101922-7SChung\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/ancient-chung-dzi\"\u003eAncient Chung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/ancient-dzi-beads\"\u003eAncient Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch4 class=\"text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold\"\u003eComplementary Chung Dzi \u0026amp; Stripe Motif Beads\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAncient\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eExplore other ancient Chung dzi beads with stripe motifs in the same age category, each with distinct colour palettes and body forms:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-agate-near-pitch-black-ac-081020-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, 49.4×11.9mm, Near-Pitch-Black Ground, 1,000–1,500 Years — Ac-081020-7SChung\u003c\/a\u003e — $5,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-warm-honey-brown-agate-ac-041320-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, 49.1×12.8mm, Warm Honey-Brown Agate, 1,000–1,500 Years — Ac-041320-7SChung\u003c\/a\u003e — $5,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-dark-brown-agate-scratches-ac-080620-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, 48.2×12.4mm, Warm Dark Brown Agate, 1,000–1,500 Years — Ac-080620-7SChung\u003c\/a\u003e — $5,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-five-stripe-cho-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-pale-cream-ac-061426-5schung\"\u003eAncient Five Stripe Cho Dzi, 57.5×13.1mm, Milky Translucent Grey-White \u0026amp; Pitch-Black Bands, 500+ Years — Ac-061426-5SChung\u003c\/a\u003e — $8,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-single-stripe-chung-dzi-heibai-belly-ac-061526-1sbw\"\u003eAncient Single Stripe Chung Dzi, 26.3×9.7mm, Belly Form, Medicine-Chipped Ends — Ac-061526-1SBW\u003c\/a\u003e — $8,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-single-stripe-chung-dzi-pair-bicone-ac-061526-1spair\"\u003eAncient Single Stripe Chung Dzi Pair, 25.4×9.2mm \u0026amp; 25.2×9.4mm, Pale \u0026amp; Dark Bicone Pair — Ac-061526-1SPair\u003c\/a\u003e — $3,500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-nineteen-stripe-chung-dzi-pair-ac-080420-19schung\"\u003eAncient Nineteen Stripe Chung Dzi Pair, 46.4×11.8mm \u0026amp; 46.9×11.6mm, Over 1,500 Years — Ac-080420-19SChung\u003c\/a\u003e — $4,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAntique\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eAntique stripe motif beads in the 200–400 year range offer warm-toned grounds and cream-to-honey stripe colouration:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-five-stripe-chung-dzi-terracotta-at-070622-5schung\"\u003eAntique Five Stripe Chung Dzi, 48.2×13.1mm, Warm Terracotta Reddish-Brown Agate — At-070622-5SChung\u003c\/a\u003e — $1,500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-nine-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-at-110223-9sbs\"\u003eAntique Nine Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots, 44.7×11.6mm, Pitch-Black Ground — At-110223-9SBS\u003c\/a\u003e — $1,700.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-nine-stripe-chung-dzi-bead-pair-at-062626-9schung\"\u003eAntique Nine Stripe Chung Dzi Pair, 30.1×9.9mm \u0026amp; 30.2×9.5mm — At-062626-9SChung\u003c\/a\u003e — $1,500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-single-stripe-bow-shaped-chung-dzi-at-061526-1sbow\"\u003eAntique Single Stripe Bow-Shaped Chung Dzi, 38.1×11.5mm, Tricolour Natural Agate — At-061526-1SBow\u003c\/a\u003e — $700.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-natural-bow-shaped-dzi-bead-107mm-pitch-black-agate-at-n-071126-bow\"\u003eAntique Natural Bow-Shaped Natural Dzi, 107.1×19.0mm, Pitch-Black Banded Agate — At-N-071126-BOW\u003c\/a\u003e — $3,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-single-stripe-chung-dzi-pair-bicone-brown-at-081123-1spair\"\u003eAntique Single Stripe Chung Dzi Pair, 15.7×11.5mm \u0026amp; 15.8×11.5mm, Warm Dark Brown — At-081123-1SPair\u003c\/a\u003e — $800.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNew \u0026amp; Vintage\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eContemporary stripe-motif options for those seeking the aesthetic of banded agate at accessible price points:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/new-bow-shaped-natural-banded-agate-dzi-curved-n-n-062126-bow6\"\u003eNew Bow Shaped Natural Banded Agate Dzi, Curved Form — Nat-B-14\u003c\/a\u003e — $300.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/new-bow-shaped-natural-banded-agate-dzi-dark-n-n-062126-bow2\"\u003eNew Bow Shaped Natural Banded Agate Dzi, Dark Form — Nat-B-9\u003c\/a\u003e — $300.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/cigar-shape-natural-banded-agate-dzi-nn062126-cs1\"\u003eNew Natural Banded Agate Dzi, Cigar Shape — Nat-CS-1\u003c\/a\u003e — $200.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-natural-one-eye-dzi-bead-blue-grey-gold-banded-agate-59mm-at-n-080426-1e\"\u003eAntique Naturally-Formed One Eye, 59.3×15.2mm, Blue-Grey \u0026amp; Gold Banded Agate — At-N-080426-1E2\u003c\/a\u003e — $1,300.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/natural-one-eye-dzi-bead-blue-grey-banded-agate-50mm-n-n-071426-1e4\"\u003eNew Naturally-Formed One Eye, 50.3×20.5mm, Blue-Grey \u0026amp; Olive Banded Agate — N-N-071426-1E4\u003c\/a\u003e — $350.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eGrey, black, and white. Five centuries. Nothing else.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e📷 We never retouch our photos. Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e#AncientChungDzi #SevenStripeDzi #ChungDzi #GreyBlackDzi #AncientDziBead #TibetanDzi #DziBead #CompactDzi #HimalayanBead #NaturalAgateDzi #AncientDziShop #Ac101922-7SChung #DziCollection #500YearsDzi #TibetanBuddhistBead\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ancient Dzi Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43967172804774,"sku":null,"price":2000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/files\/20221019_010434_6f465627-1435-40f2-b88e-cb1344f002c1.jpg?v=1788934559"},{"product_id":"antique-five-stripe-chung-dzi-terracotta-at-070622-5schung","title":"Antique Five Stripe Chung Dzi, 48.2×13.1mm, warm terracotta reddish-brown agate (At-070622-5SChung)","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eOn this bead, the black takes more space than the brown — and that inversion of the expected proportion is the first thing the photographs tell you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eIn most striped Chung dzi the ground dominates and the stripes punctuate it. Here the five pitch-black acid-etched bands are wide enough that the warm terracotta reddish-brown ground between them reads as the narrower element — a series of compressed ground intervals between broad black registers. The visual weight sits in the stripes, not the field. The result is a bead that reads as predominantly dark from a distance and reveals its warm ground colour only as you bring it closer, or as the light catches the semi-gloss surface of the reddish-brown zones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe ground itself is a warm terracotta reddish-brown natural agate — not the vivid orange-red of the collection's ancient carnelian pieces, and not a dark chocolate-brown. It occupies a register that is distinctly warm and iron-oxide in character, with natural colour variation visible across the surface: the left tip reads as slightly more saturated terracotta-red (confirmed in Image 6), while the central body ground sits at a slightly more muted reddish-brown. Fine natural speckle and age-consistent micro-pitting are visible across the ground zones in close examination — the surface here is semi-gloss to satin, not the mirror-quality gloss of a younger or more heavily polished piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe five black stripe bands are acid-etched into the agate ground. They are consistent in their deep pitch-black colour, and while the three central stripes are marginally wider than the outermost bands, the overall impression is of broad, assertive horizontal registers. The stripes carry a slightly higher surface gloss than the ground zones — a characteristic of the etching chemistry interacting differently with the agate surface than the surrounding material. No stripe has degraded or faded; all five read cleanly against the ground.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe body form is an elongated fusiform with a confirmed asymmetric taper. The right end is the blunter end — broader, more rounded, with a small centrally placed drill hole whose interior appears near-dark (Image 5). The left end tapers more acutely to a point, with a drill hole whose interior reads warm reddish-brown, consistent with the agate colour at that tip (Image 6). This asymmetric taper is visible across all four lateral face photographs and is a natural feature of how the bead was shaped from the source material.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThis bead must be distinguished from two others in the collection that share the five-stripe count or the Cho technique reference. \u003cstrong\u003eAc-061426-5SChung\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-five-stripe-cho-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-pale-cream-ac-061426-5schung\"\u003eAncient Five Stripe Cho Dzi Cuosi Tianzu Pale Cream\u003c\/a\u003e) is an ancient piece (700–1,000 years) using the specialised Cho dzi etching technique — its ground is a milky semi-translucent pale grey-white, its stripes are dark on a light field (colour-inverted relative to this bead), and its surface is mirror-quality gloss. This bead is antique, not ancient; its ground is warm reddish-brown, not pale; its surface is semi-gloss satin; and it carries standard acid etching, not Cho technique. They share a stripe count and nothing else. \u003cstrong\u003eAt-110223-9SBS\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-nine-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-at-110223-9sbs\"\u003eNine Stripe with Bloodspots\u003c\/a\u003e) has nearly double the stripe count on a pitch-black ground with cinnabar inclusions — a completely different visual and material character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch4 class=\"text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold\"\u003eThe Five Stripe Motif — 瓊珠五線紋\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eFive is the number of directions in Tibetan cosmological tradition: the four cardinal points plus the centre. A five-stripe Chung dzi (瓊珠五線紋) is understood to align the wearer with all five directions simultaneously — a bead of orientation and completeness. Five stripes are also associated with the five Buddha families of Vajrayana tradition, each embodying a different aspect of enlightened wisdom, and with the five elements that constitute experience: earth, water, fire, wind, and space. In Tibetan and Himalayan collecting communities, the five-stripe bead is regarded as a bead of balance — not the accumulative power of nine, not the directional focus of one, but the centred equilibrium of five, covering every axis at once.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Five stripe (五線紋); five pitch-black acid-etched horizontal bands; wide stripe \/ narrow ground proportion — stripes substantially wider than inter-stripe ground zones; slight width variation (central three wider, outer two marginally narrower)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 48.2mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 13.1mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Elongated fusiform; asymmetric taper — right end broader and more rounded, left end more acutely tapered; small centrally placed drill holes at both tips\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural warm terracotta reddish-brown agate with natural colour variation and fine surface speckle; pitch-black acid-etched stripe bands; semi-gloss to satin surface finish\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge Estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 300–500 years\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Age-consistent surface micro-pitting across ground zones (disclosed); no chips; no cracks; no medicine digs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e At-070622-5SChung\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/antique-chung-dzi\"\u003eAntique Chung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/antique-dzi-beads\"\u003eAntique Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch4 class=\"text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold\"\u003eRelated Stripe \u0026amp; Balance Motif Beads\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eFive-stripe Chung dzi embody balance and equilibrium across all five directions. The collection includes stripe variants, ancient Cho dzi with refined technique, and abundance-focused Five Eye beads — all suited to collectors seeking directional alignment and complete cosmological resonance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAntique\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-nine-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-at-110223-9sbs\"\u003eAntique Nine Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots, 44.7×11.6mm, pitch-black ground, cinnabar inclusions, 300–500 years\u003c\/a\u003e — $1700.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-five-eye-dzi-bead-blue-tint-dark-brown-at-072326-5e\"\u003eAntique Five Eye Dzi Bead, 39.8×13.2mm, dark brown agate with blue-tint eyes, abundance motif\u003c\/a\u003e — $1400.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-single-stripe-bow-shaped-chung-dzi-at-061526-1sbow\"\u003eAntique Single Stripe Bow-Shaped Chung Dzi, 38.1×11.5mm, tricolour natural agate\u003c\/a\u003e — $700.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAncient\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-five-stripe-cho-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-pale-cream-ac-061426-5schung\"\u003eAncient Five Stripe Cho Dzi Cuosi Tianzu Pale Cream, 57.5×13.1mm, milky translucent grey-white with pitch-black bands, Cho technique, 700–1,000 years\u003c\/a\u003e — $8000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-grey-black-ac-101922-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, 39.3×13.9mm, cool grey-black ground with silvery grey-white stripes, 500+ years\u003c\/a\u003e — $2000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNew \u0026amp; Vintage\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/new-five-eye-dzi-bead-pitch-black-59mm-honey-ends-n-090626-5e2\"\u003eNew Five Eye Dzi Bead, 59.6×12.7mm, pitch-black with honey agate ends, five-direction abundance\u003c\/a\u003e — $350.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/new-five-eye-dzi-bead-pitch-black-56mm-n-090126-5e2\"\u003eNew Five Eye Dzi Bead, 56.3×13.2mm, pitch-black and warm brown agate, balance and prosperity\u003c\/a\u003e — $350.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eFive stripes. The black takes more space than the brown, and that is exactly the point.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e📷 We never retouch our photos. Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e#AntiqueChungDzi #FiveStripeDzi #ChungDzi #TerracottaDzi #TibetanDzi #DziBead #AntiqueDziBead #HimalayanBead #NaturalAgateDzi #WideStripeDzi #AncientDziShop #At070622-5SChung #DziCollection #ChungDziAgate #TibetanBuddhistBead\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ancient Dzi Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43969998684326,"sku":null,"price":1500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/files\/20220706_170116_7314c9be-5201-45c3-8179-75e393cea81c.jpg?v=1788934816"},{"product_id":"ancient-nine-stripe-chung-dzi-bead-pair-ac-062626-9schung2","title":"Pair of Ancient Nine Stripe Chung Dzi Beads, 19.8×14.7mm \u0026 20.6×15.1mm, agate (Ac-062626-9SChung2)","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e✦ All photographs are unretouched. ✦\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe ground on these beads is not dark — and that reversal changes everything about how the stripes read.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eEvery other Chung dzi pair in this collection has a dark ground with lighter stripe lines running across it. This pair works the opposite way: the ground is grey to cream-white, and the stripe zones are deep charcoal-grey, so the dark reads as the marking within a pale field rather than the pale reading as lines on a dark body. The effect is quieter and more diffuse than a dark-ground Chung dzi — the contrast is still present, but the two tones are closer in value, and the result is a bead that announces itself slowly rather than immediately.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe nine stripes run the full circumference of each bead, counted in the traditional alternating sequence: the first cream-white zone, then a charcoal-grey band, then the next cream-white zone, and so on from end to end. The stripe lines on both beads show the softening and surface integration that five or more centuries of age produces — not sharp ruled edges but bands that have settled into the stone, their boundaries slightly blurred by the same surface crazing that covers the cream zones throughout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThat crazing is worth describing directly. Both beads show a network of fine surface cracklines running across the cream-white zones — a map of age-related surface movement in the agate, visible across every face photographed. The live listing notes these cracklines do not compromise structural integrity, and this is confirmed as my own independent finding from the photographs: the beads are structurally sound, and the cracklines are a surface phenomenon, not fractures through the body. On a 500–700 year old bead, this kind of surface crazing is expected and is itself a document of age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eOne additional detail to disclose: one bead shows a chip or medicine dig at one end, visible in Image 5. This is a small localised surface removal at the end cap, not a crack, and does not affect the bead's structural integrity. It is disclosed here in full rather than described generically.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eImage 5 also shows the drilling ends of both beads. Bead A's end cap shows a large dark colour patch surrounding the drill hole — this is natural agate colouration making the hole harder to see, not a drilling anomaly or condition issue. Bead B's drill hole is clearly visible as a small clean opening at the centre of the end cap.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Nine Stripe Chung Dzi Motif\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe Chung dzi (瓊珠) is the striped dzi — one of the oldest forms in the entire dzi tradition, predating the eye motif beads and understood as the original dzi type. Nine stripes place this pair at the upper range of the standard Chung dzi count, nine being among the most auspicious numbers in both Tibetan and Chinese symbolic tradition — associated with completion, the highest single digit, and the fullest expression of heaven's number. A nine-stripe Chung dzi is understood as a statement of complete and unbroken fortune: success running from one end of the bead to the other without interruption, as the stripes themselves do.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpec Block\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nine Stripe Chung Dzi (九條瓊珠) — nine alternating cream-white and charcoal-grey bands running full circumference; stripe boundaries softened with age\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 19.8mm (Bead A); 20.6mm (Bead B)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 14.7mm (Bead A); 15.1mm (Bead B)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Compact oval pair; wider than tall relative to standard barrel dzi; matched pair\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Agate — grey to cream-white dominant ground; deep charcoal-grey stripe zones\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge Estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 500–700 years\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Surface crackline network present across cream zones on both beads — structurally sound, independently confirmed from photographs. Chip or medicine dig at one end cap disclosed (Image 5). Dark agate colouration at Bead A drill end — not a condition issue.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ac-062626-9SChung2\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/ancient-dzi-beads\"\u003eAncient Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/pairs-sets\"\u003ePairs \u0026amp; Sets\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eFor the antique nine-stripe Chung dzi pair in this collection, see \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-nine-stripe-chung-dzi-bead-pair-at-062626-9schung\"\u003eAt-062626-9SChung\u003c\/a\u003e — deep black ground, cool grey-white stripes, elongated fusiform form, 300–500 years. Note the distinction: that pair has a dark ground; this pair has a cream-white ground. For ancient seven-stripe Chung dzi, see \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-agate-near-pitch-black-ac-081020-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi Agate Near Pitch Black\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-warm-honey-brown-agate-ac-041320-7schung\"\u003eAc-041320-7SChung\u003c\/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-dark-brown-agate-scratches-ac-080620-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi Dark Brown Agate Scratches\u003c\/a\u003e. For the five-stripe ancient Cho Dzi, see \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-five-stripe-cho-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-pale-cream-ac-061426-5schung\"\u003eAncient Five Stripe Cho Dzi Cuosi Tianzu Pale Cream\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/what-are-dzi-beads\"\u003eWhat Are Dzi Beads? History, Meaning \u0026amp; Authentication\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/understanding-buddhism\"\u003eThe Meaning of Dzi Bead Motifs\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eNine stripes, two beads, five centuries — and a ground colour no other Chung dzi in this collection shares.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e✦ All photographs are unretouched. ✦\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePhotos:\u003c\/strong\u003e Unretouched product images. All photos taken by Ancient Dzi Shop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e#ancientdzishop #dzibead #chungdzi #stripeddzi #ninestripedzi #ancientdzi #tibetanbead #tibetanjewelry #agatedzi #dzicollector #himalayanbeads #pairedbeads #jiutiaodzi #500yearsold #ancientagate\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ancient Dzi Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43972098228390,"sku":null,"price":1800.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/files\/20211214_121849_5659ef28-67ca-49fd-a8c1-ae2078375e69.jpg?v=1788934840"},{"product_id":"antique-nine-stripe-chung-dzi-bead-pair-at-062626-9schung","title":"Pair of Antique Nine Stripe Chung Dzi Beads, 30.1×9.9mm \u0026 30.2×9.5mm, agate (At-062626-9SChung)","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e✦ All photographs are unretouched. ✦\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThese two beads carry the same nine stripes and the same black ground — and they do not have the same shape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe stripe count on a Chung dzi works differently from most people expect. The nine stripes are not nine white lines — they are nine alternating bands counted across the full sequence: the first white stripe, then a black zone, then the next white stripe, and so on, the pattern running the full length of each bead from end cap to end cap. On these two beads the stripes are cool grey-white, slightly textured and weathered at their edges in the way that distinguishes a genuine antique piece from a reproduction — not clean ruled lines but lines that have softened and shifted slightly with three to five centuries of use and handling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe form difference between the two beads is visible and worth naming directly. Bead A (Images 2 and 4, the more tapered piece) has a pronounced asymmetric teardrop profile: one end comes to a sharper, more pointed taper while the other is rounder and more blunt. The overall silhouette is elongated and directional — it has a clear narrow end and a clear wide end. Bead B (Images 3 and 5) is more symmetrically bicone in profile, tapering toward both ends at a more even rate, with a wider central zone relative to its length. Images 6 and 7 show both beads together and make the shape difference immediately apparent: placed side by side, they read as two distinct forms despite sharing the same motif, the same ground colour, and nearly identical dimensions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe ground on both beads is deep black, confirmed from white-background photographs across all six images. The surface on both is high gloss on the black zones, with the stripe lines carrying a finer, slightly more matte and granular texture consistent with the etching process and subsequent age. No cracks are visible on either bead. The live listing's \"no cracks\" claim is confirmed as my own independent finding from the photographs. Both drill holes are small and clean, visible at the tapered ends in Images 2–5.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Nine Stripe Chung Dzi Motif\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe Chung dzi (瓊珠) is the striped dzi — one of the most fundamental forms in the entire dzi tradition, predating the eye motif beads and understood as the original dzi type. The stripes are counted as alternating light and dark bands across the full length of the bead, with the number of stripes carrying specific symbolic significance. Nine stripes place this pair at the upper range of the standard Chung dzi count, nine being among the most auspicious numbers in both Tibetan and Chinese symbolic tradition — associated with completion, the highest single digit, and the fullest expression of heaven's number. A nine-stripe Chung dzi is understood as a statement of complete and unbroken fortune: success running from one end of the bead to the other without interruption, as the stripes themselves do.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpec Block\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nine Stripe Chung Dzi (九條瓊珠) — nine alternating grey-white and black bands running full length; stripe lines weathered and slightly textured at edges consistent with age\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 30.1mm (Bead A); 30.2mm (Bead B)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 9.9mm (Bead A); 9.5mm (Bead B)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Elongated fusiform pair — Bead A pronounced asymmetric teardrop taper; Bead B more symmetric bicone profile; both high-gloss black ground\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Agate — deep black ground; cool grey-white stripe lines\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge Estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 300–500 years\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e No cracks visible on either bead — independently confirmed from photographs. Stripe line edges show age-consistent weathering and softening. Both drill holes clean.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e At-062626-9SChung\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/antique-dzi-beads\"\u003eAntique Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/pairs-sets\"\u003ePairs \u0026amp; Sets\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eFor the single-stripe Chung dzi in this collection, see \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-single-stripe-bow-shaped-chung-dzi-at-061526-1sbow\"\u003eAntique Single Stripe Chung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e. For ancient seven-stripe Chung dzi, see \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-agate-near-pitch-black-ac-081020-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi Agate Near Pitch Black\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-warm-honey-brown-agate-ac-041320-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi Warm Honey Brown Agate\u003c\/a\u003e, and \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-dark-brown-agate-scratches-ac-080620-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi Dark Brown Agate\u003c\/a\u003e. For the antique seven-stripe, see \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-warm-honey-brown-agate-ac-041320-7schung\"\u003eAntique Seven Stripe Chung Dzi Honey Brown Agate\u003c\/a\u003e. For the five-stripe ancient Cho Dzi, see \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-five-stripe-cho-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-pale-cream-ac-061426-5schung\"\u003eAncient Five Stripe Cho Dzi Pale Cream\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/what-are-dzi-beads\"\u003eWhat Are Dzi Beads? History, Meaning \u0026amp; Authentication\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/understanding-buddhism\"\u003eThe Meaning of Dzi Bead Motifs\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eNine stripes, two beads, one motif — and not one line stops before it reaches the end.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e✦ All photographs are unretouched. ✦\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePhotos:\u003c\/strong\u003e Unretouched product images. All photos taken by Ancient Dzi Shop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e#ancientdzishop #dzibead #chungdzi #stripeddzi #ninestripedzi #antiquedzi #tibetanbead #tibetanjewelry #agatedzi #dzicollector #himalayanbeads #pairedbeads #jiutiaodzi #protectivebead #successbead\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ancient Dzi Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43973000921254,"sku":null,"price":1500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/files\/20220614_012658_51125f7f-20f2-494c-9f7c-7224d03ee024.jpg?v=1788939578"},{"product_id":"antique-natural-patina-agate-dzi-cylinder-at-030420-1snp","title":"Antique Natural Agate Dzi with Calcification Patina, 30.9×9.9mm, warm tobacco-brown cylinder (At-030420-1SNP)","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe pale zone across the centre of this bead is not an etched stripe — it is centuries of mineral accumulation, and it has completely transformed the surface it settled on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWhat the photographs show across the central body of this bead is a broad zone of natural calcification: sandy-cream to warm grey-white mineral deposit that has built up over the agate surface across three or more centuries of burial, handling, and exposure. It is not a clean band. It is not applied etching. It is a living record of where this bead has been — and critically, through the calcification itself, the original agate banding is still visible: fine parallel dark lines moving through the pale deposit, the stone's own structure showing through the centuries of accumulation. The stripe reading that first draws the eye is geology, not craft.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe ground of this bead — visible clearly at both ends and wherever the calcification has not settled — is a warm dark tobacco-brown natural agate. This is not the pitch-black of the collection's etched Chung dzi, nor the warm honey-brown of the semi-translucent ancient pieces. It is a denser, warmer brown, and within it the natural agate banding runs in fine parallel lines visible across the left body section and both end cap faces (Images 5 and 6). The banding is part of the stone — laid down during geological formation, not applied by a craftsman.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe body form is unlike any other bead in the collection. This is a true short cylinder — a compact barrel with flat-ended faces and rounded edges rather than a fusiform taper. At 30.9×9.9mm the form is stocky, almost architectural in its proportions. The end faces are nearly flat, and both drill holes are off-centre — positioned toward the edges of the end faces rather than at the geometric centre (confirmed in Images 5 and 6). The drill hole interiors show a warm reddish-orange channel colour, indicating the iron-oxide content of the agate in the interior zone. Off-centre drill holes of this type are consistent with antique hand-drilling technique and are an authentication marker rather than a flaw.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe calcification across the central body has a matte, slightly roughened texture that contrasts with the high-gloss polish visible across the dark brown end zones. In some areas the calcification appears striated and layered, with the underlying agate banding visible beneath it. A thin, bright white mineral line runs along the upper body ridge (visible in Images 2 and 4), a secondary deposit line distinct from the main calcification field. No chips. No cracks visible. The calcification appears stable — settled rather than flaking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eNo other bead in the collection carries this combination: a cylindrical barrel form, natural calcification as the primary pale zone, warm tobacco-brown ground with visible natural banding, and off-centre drill holes at both ends. The Chung dzi listings — \u003cstrong\u003eAt-020726-Chung\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/chung-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-natural-bicolour-agate-at-020726-chung\"\u003eSingle Stripe\u003c\/a\u003e), \u003cstrong\u003eAt-110223-9SBS\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-nine-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-at-110223-9sbs\"\u003eNine Stripe with Bloodspots\u003c\/a\u003e), and \u003cstrong\u003eAt-061526-1SBow\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-single-stripe-bow-shaped-chung-dzi-at-061526-1sbow\"\u003eSingle Stripe Bow-shaped\u003c\/a\u003e) — all carry either acid-etched bands or natural colour-zone contrasts in fusiform or bow-shaped bodies. This bead is categorically different in form, surface character, and age signature.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch4 class=\"text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold\"\u003eThe Natural Patina — A Note on Calcification\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eIn the Tibetan and Himalayan collecting tradition, natural mineral deposits on the surface of an ancient or antique bead are regarded not as damage but as evidence: proof that the stone has persisted in the world long enough for the world to leave its mark on it. Calcification — the accumulation of calcium carbonate or silicate minerals over the agate surface — occurs through extended burial, exposure to mineral-rich environments, and centuries of proximity to organic and mineral matter. It cannot be replicated quickly or artificially, and its presence alongside natural agate banding, off-centre drill holes, and differential surface patina between the calcified zone and the polished brown end caps forms a coherent picture of a bead that has passed through many hands across many generations. The stripe is what the earth wrote. The bead carried it forward.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural calcification patina (一線紋 — single stripe reading); broad sandy-cream to warm grey-white mineral deposit across central body; underlying agate banding visible through deposit; secondary mineral ridge line along upper body; no acid etching applied\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 30.9mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 9.9mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e True short cylinder (barrel); flat-ended faces with rounded corners; stocky proportions; not fusiform or tapered\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural warm dark tobacco-brown agate with fine parallel natural banding throughout; heavy calcification deposit across central body; warm reddish-orange drill channel interior\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge Estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 300–500 years\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Heavy stable natural calcification across central body (age marker, fully disclosed); off-centre drill holes at both ends (antique hand-drill characteristic, disclosed); thin secondary mineral ridge line on upper body; no chips; no cracks\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e At-030420-1SNP\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-nine-stripe-chung-dzi-bead-pair-at-062626-9schung\"\u003eAntique Nine Stripe Chung Dzi Bead Pair\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/antique-dzi-beads\"\u003eAntique Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou may also like:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/chung-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-natural-bicolour-agate-at-020726-chung\"\u003eAntique Single Stripe Chung Dzi — At-020726-Chung\u003c\/a\u003e — Natural bicolour agate, fusiform body, ~500 yrs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-single-stripe-bow-shaped-chung-dzi-at-061526-1sbow\"\u003eAntique Single Stripe Bow-shaped Chung Dzi — At-061526-1SBow\u003c\/a\u003e — Tricolour natural agate, bow-shaped, 200–300 yrs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-nine-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-at-110223-9sbs\"\u003eAntique Nine Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots — At-110223-9SBS\u003c\/a\u003e — Nine etched stripes, pitch-black ground, cinnabar, 300–500 yrs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-single-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-pitch-black-white-ac-061426-1schungbs\"\u003eAncient Single Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots — Ac-061426-1SChungBS\u003c\/a\u003e — Pitch-black stripe, mosaic calcification, 1,500–2,000 yrs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\"\u003eWhat Is a Chung Dzi? Understanding Striped Agate Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/understanding-buddhism\"\u003eHow to Identify Genuine Antique Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe stripe is what the earth wrote. The bead carried it forward.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e📷 We never retouch our photos. Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e#AntiqueAgateDzi #NaturalPatinaDzi #CalcificationDzi #ChungDzi #CylinderDzi #TibetanDzi #DziBead #AntiqueDziBead #HimalayanBead #NaturalAgateBead #AncientDziShop #At030420-1SNP #DziCollection #NaturalCalcification #TibetanBuddhistBead\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ancient Dzi Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43994443841702,"sku":null,"price":1000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/files\/20200304_142724_11a79c06-e41c-4301-9a9a-16dfee9d4836.jpg?v=1788936539"},{"product_id":"ancient-single-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-pitch-black-white-ac-061426-1schungbs","title":"Single Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots, 31.4 × 9.6mm, pitch-black and white, calcified end (Ac-061426-1SChungBS)","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe two ends of this bead have had different lives, and the photographs show you exactly what that means.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe left end cap is bright white, smooth, polished, intact — the original agate surface preserved as it has been for fifteen hundred years or more. The right end cap carries the opposite history: a deep mosaic calcification, the calcite mineral growth that accumulates on agate surfaces over extreme timescales, cracked into a tortoiseshell network of raised cream-white deposits that covers the entire right face and end cap zone. Both ends are documented fully in Images 2–4 and 9–10 respectively, and both are what they appear to be — one end preserved, one end transformed by time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWithin the calcification zone on the right end, something else is visible. In the macro photographs (Images 2 and 3), small reddish-brown circular inclusions sit within the cream zone near the boundary with the dark body: these are cinnabar bloodspot inclusions — discrete individual dots of mercuric sulfide (硃砂 \/ zhūshā, HgS) within the agate matrix. Cinnabar is a naturally occurring mineral that forms as red to reddish-brown crystalline dots within agate during geological formation, and its presence within dzi beads is considered an authentication marker by collectors and specialists. The bloodspot dots visible in these macro photographs sit at or near the surface of the agate within the calcification zone, several clearly identifiable as discrete circular marks of warm vermilion to reddish-brown.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe central body of this bead is pitch-black — confirmed from white-background photography (Images 5–8) as the deepest, most saturated black in the collection, without warm-brown undertone. It is high-gloss and polished across the full circumference. The single-stripe Chung dzi composition reads here as one extended dark central band occupying the majority of the bead's length, flanked by the bright white left cap and the calcified right cap. The transition from white to black on the left side is a soft, gradual gradient visible most clearly in Image 7; the transition from black to the calcification zone on the right has a different character — the calcification overlay alters the visual boundary.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe body form is a short wide barrel — not the fusiform taper characteristic of other dzi in this collection, including the antique single-stripe Chung dzi (At-020726-Chung). This bead's sides are nearly parallel, its ends flat-faced, its cross-section uniformly circular from end to end. At 31.4mm × 9.6mm it is compact and dense, with a solidity in the hand that the longer, tapered beads do not share. This barrel form at this age category is a distinctive ancient type and differentiates this bead from every other Chung dzi in the collection in both form and age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe drill holes at both ends are age-consistent. The right end drill hole is embedded within the calcification (Image 4) and remains functional and centred despite the mineral accumulation around it. The left end drill hole (Image 10) shows a warm yellowish-tan interior passage — characteristic of ancient drill channels where centuries of exposure have changed the surface colour of the agate within the hole.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots — Cinnabar Inclusions (硃砂 \/ Zhūshā)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eCinnabar (硃砂 \/ zhūshā) is mercuric sulfide — a naturally occurring mineral that forms as reddish crystalline inclusions within agate during geological processes. In Tibetan and Himalayan dzi bead tradition, the presence of cinnabar bloodspot dots within a bead is understood as a mark of authenticity and accumulated energy: the stone carrying its own internal vitality, visible to those who look closely. Cinnabar dots range in colour from vivid vermilion to warm rust-orange and deep reddish-brown depending on the mineral concentration, age, and stone host. In this bead they appear as warm reddish-brown discrete dots within the cream-white zone near the right end cap, visible in macro photography as individual circular marks that sit within the stone rather than on its surface. Calcification at the right end has in some areas partially exposed or framed these inclusions, making them visible in the photographs in a way that would not be possible on an unweathered surface.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Single Stripe Chung Dzi (一條瓊珠 \/ Yī Tiáo Qióng Zhū)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe Chung dzi (瓊珠) is the striped category of the dzi tradition — the horizontal band bead whose dark-treated body against untreated white end zones produces the stripe effect. At its most concentrated, one dark band flanked by two white zones is the simplest possible Chung composition: a single statement, undivided, held between two clear ends. In Tibetan tradition, the single stripe carries the unbroken meaning of the continuous line — success that does not pause, a path that holds its direction from beginning to end. At 1,500–2,000 years, this is among the oldest single-stripe Chung dzi in the collection and in most private collections. The calcification at the right end is not damage — it is the surface record of those years, the stone's own documentation of the time it has occupied.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Single Stripe Chung Dzi (一條瓊珠 \/ Yī Tiáo Qióng Zhū); pitch-black central body band; bright white left end cap; calcified cream-white right end cap with mosaic mineral deposits; cinnabar bloodspot inclusions (reddish-brown dots) within right end cap zone\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 31.4mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 9.6mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Short wide barrel; near-parallel sides; flat end faces; uniform circular cross-section throughout\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural agate — pitch-black central body; bright white left end cap; right end cap with extensive mosaic calcification (cream-white to sandy-tan calcite deposits); cinnabar (硃砂) bloodspot inclusions within right cap zone; warm yellowish-tan ancient drill channel interiors\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge Estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1,500–2,000 years\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Extensive mosaic calcification on right end cap — mineral deposit fully documented in Images 2, 3, 4, and 9; drill hole at right end intact and functional within calcification; minor surface mark on left end cap near drill hole (Image 8); no structural cracks; no rework; no medicine digs; left end cap and body fully intact\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes — discrete circular cinnabar (硃砂 \/ zhūshā) inclusions visible in macro photography within right end cap cream zone; warm reddish-brown individual dots; surface-visible and sub-surface within calcification zone (Images 2 and 3)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ac-061426-1SChungBS\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/ancient-dzi-beads\"\u003eAncient Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/antique-dzi-beads\"\u003eAntique Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou may also like\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/chung-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-natural-bicolour-agate-at-020726-chung\"\u003eAntique Single Stripe Chung Dzi (At-020726-Chung)\u003c\/a\u003e — single stripe Chung dzi, natural bicolour agate, no etching, ~500 years, fusiform form, 38.2×11.5mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-dark-brown-agate-scratches-ac-080620-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi Dark Brown Agate Scratches\u003c\/a\u003e — seven stripe Chung dzi, near-pitch-black ground, 1,000–1,500 years, 49.4×11.9mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-grey-black-ac-101922-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi Bloodspots Odd Form\u003c\/a\u003e — seven stripe Chung dzi, warm honey-brown ground, 1,000–1,500 years, 49.1×12.8mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-grey-black-ac-101922-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi Bloodspots Odd Form\u003c\/a\u003e — seven stripe Chung dzi, warm dark brown ground, two surface scratches, 1,000–1,500 years, 48.2×12.4mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-wave-stripe-dzi-bead-at-053126-ws2\"\u003eAntique Wave Stripe Dzi Bead\u003c\/a\u003e — cinnabar bloodspots in agate dzi tradition, different motif comparison\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/what-makes-a-dzi-bead-authentic\"\u003eWhat Makes a Dzi Bead Authentic?\u003c\/a\u003e — on reading calcification, ancient drill holes, and surface age markers in the most ancient dzi beads\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/understanding-buddhism\/stripe-motif-dzi-meaning\"\u003eThe Meaning of the Stripe Motif in Dzi Tradition\u003c\/a\u003e — on the Chung dzi, stripe count, and the single-stripe composition in Tibetan protective beads\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eOne stripe. One end preserved. One end transformed by fifteen hundred years of time. Both photographed exactly as they are.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e📷 We never retouch our photos. Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHashtags\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e#AncientDziShop #AncientDziBead #SingleStripeChungDzi #ChungDzi #瓊珠 #YiTiaoQiongZhu #BloodspotDzi #CinnabarDzi #硃砂 #TibetanDziBead #HimalayanBead #AncientBead #TibetanJewelry #Ac0614261SChungBS #CalcifiedDzi\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ancient Dzi Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44391406633126,"sku":null,"price":18000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/files\/Ancient_Single_Stripe_Chung_with_Bloodspots_-_Tso_Dzi_-_4.jpg?v=1788940689"},{"product_id":"antique-nine-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-at-110223-9sbs","title":"Antique Nine Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots, 44.7×11.6mm, pitch-black ground (At-110223-9SBS)","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe bloodspots on this bead appear in two different places, and they are not the same thing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eLook at the macro photographs — Images 7 and 8 — and you will see fine dark micro-dots scattered across the pale stripe surfaces. They are not dust. They are not surface debris. They are sub-surface cinnabar inclusions, mercuric sulfide (硃砂, zhūshā), suspended inside the pale agate of the stripe bands themselves, visible through the stone because the agate in those zones is translucent enough to reveal what lies beneath. Then look at Image 6: the entire left end cap of this bead reads as a warm reddish-brown, saturated and localised, where a concentration of cinnabar within the agate has coloured the tip zone from within. Two mechanisms. Two locations. One bead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe ground of this bead is pitch-black — confirmed from white-background photographs across all four lateral faces. Nine bright white to very pale blue-grey stripe bands run across this black field, evenly spaced from tip to tip with the central stripes marginally wider than those approaching the ends, a characteristic of how the agate's natural banding was positioned during the etching process. The contrast between the pitch-black dark zones and the pale stripe bands is as strong as this motif can produce. In strong light, the stripe surfaces catch a subtle blue-grey cast — the agate's own translucency reading through the white etched surface.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe body form is an elongated fusiform, tapering acutely at both ends to small rounded tips. At 44.7mm length, this is the longest Chung dzi currently in the collection that carries a pitch-black ground. Both drill holes are small and centrally placed, consistent with antique hand-drill technique. The right tip drill hole (Image 5) appears slightly tighter; the left tip (Image 6) slightly more worn and open — the differential wear between the two ends is visible and consistent with centuries of stringing and use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe surface carries a high-gloss polish across both dark and light bands. Close examination at the mid-body ridge (Images 2 and 3) reveals fine surface micro-abrasion scoring — lines running along the upper curve of the bead consistent with long-term contact wear, not mechanical damage. A fine vertical surface score line is also visible across two dark bands in Image 8 and is fully disclosed here. No chips at either tip. No medicine digs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThis bead holds more stripes than any other Chung dzi in the collection. The seven-stripe ancient beads — \u003cstrong\u003eAc-081020-7SChung\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/cigar-shape-natural-banded-agate-dzi-nn062126-cs1\"\u003eSeS-1\u003c\/a\u003e), \u003cstrong\u003eAc-041320-7SChung\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/new-twelve-eye-motif-dzi-bead-bloodspots-2-n062126-12e-2\"\u003eSeS-2\u003c\/a\u003e), and \u003cstrong\u003eAc-080620-7SChung\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/new-two-eye-motif-taiwan-dzi-bead-antique-style-n-fa-071426-2e\"\u003eSeS-3\u003c\/a\u003e) — all carry seven bands and none carry bloodspots. The antique \u003cstrong\u003eAt-061920-7SChung\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-dark-brown-agate-scratches-ac-080620-7schung\"\u003eSeven Stripe Chung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e) has seven stripes on a warm honey-brown semi-translucent ground — a completely different material reading. This bead adds two more stripes, a pitch-black ground, and cinnabar in two distinct forms, making it singular in the collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch4 class=\"text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold\"\u003eThe Nine Stripe Motif — 瓊珠九線紋\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eNine is among the most auspicious numbers in Tibetan and Chinese cosmological tradition: the highest single digit, the number that encompasses all others, associated with completion, longevity, and the fullness of heaven. A nine-stripe Chung dzi (瓊珠九線紋) is understood to carry the energy of all nine: nine layers of protection, nine expressions of continuous fortune, nine unbroken circuits around the bead's body. In Tibetan folk practice, nine-stripe beads are associated with the accumulation of merit across lifetimes, the protection of the wearer through all nine stages of a completed cycle. The presence of cinnabar bloodspots — 硃砂, mercuric sulfide, which ranges in colour from vermilion to rust-orange to deep reddish-brown — is understood in traditional Tibetan and Himalayan collecting communities as a further authentication marker, evidence that the bead has absorbed the energy of its environment over centuries of use and proximity to sacred practice.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nine stripe (九線紋); nine acid-etched horizontal bands; bright white to very pale blue-grey stripes on pitch-black ground; central stripes marginally wider than tip stripes\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 44.7mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 11.6mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Elongated fusiform; acute taper to both tips; small rounded end caps; high-gloss surface\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural agate; pitch-black ground; bright white to pale blue-grey etched stripe bands\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge Estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 300–500 years\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Surface micro-abrasion scoring on mid-body ridge (age-consistent wear); fine vertical surface score line across two dark bands (Image 8, disclosed); no chips; no medicine digs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes — two distinct forms: (1) warm reddish-brown cinnabar saturation localised at left end cap (Image 6); (2) fine dark cinnabar micro-dots distributed sub-surface within pale stripe bands (Images 7 and 8)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e At-110223-9SBS\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/antique-chung-dzi\"\u003eAntique Chung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/antique-dzi-beads\"\u003eAntique Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou may also like:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-single-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-pitch-black-white-ac-061426-1schungbs\"\u003eAncient Single Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots — Ac-061426-1SChungBS\u003c\/a\u003e — Pitch-black stripe, mosaic calcification, cinnabar end cap, 1,500–2,000 yrs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-agate-near-pitch-black-ac-081020-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi SeS-1 — Ac-081020-7SChung\u003c\/a\u003e — Seven stripes, pitch-black ground, 1,000–1,500 yrs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/vintage-seven-eye-dzi-5-antique-style-finish-v-fa-062026-7ea5\"\u003eAntique Seven Stripe Chung Dzi — At-061920-7SChung\u003c\/a\u003e — Seven stripes, warm honey-brown ground, 200–300 yrs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-five-stripe-cho-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-pale-cream-ac-061426-5schung\"\u003eAncient Five Stripe Cho Dzi — Ac-061426-5SChung\u003c\/a\u003e — Pale translucent ground, colour-inverted, mirror gloss, 700–1,000 yrs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\"\u003eWhat Is a Chung Dzi? Understanding Striped Agate Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/understanding-buddhism\"\u003eCinnabar Bloodspots in Dzi Beads: What They Are and Why They Matter\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eNine stripes, two bloodspot signatures, one pitch-black stone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e📷 We never retouch our photos. Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e#AntiqueChungDzi #NineStripeDzi #ChungDziBloodspots #CinnabarDzi #PitchBlackDzi #TibetanDzi #DziBead #AntiqueDziBead #HimalayanBead #ChungDzi #AncientDziShop #At110223-9SBS #DziCollection #BloodspotDzi #TibetanBuddhistBead\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ancient Dzi Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44527777218726,"sku":null,"price":1700.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/files\/Antique_Nine_Stripe_Chung_Dzi_with_Bloodspots_1.jpg?v=1788940807"},{"product_id":"antique-single-stripe-bow-shaped-chung-dzi-at-061526-1sbow","title":"Antique Single Stripe Bow-shaped Chung Dzi, 38.1×11.5×8.9mm, tricolour natural agate (At-061526-1SBow)","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe stripe on this bead does not sit between two matching end zones — the stone chose three entirely different colours, and the bow-shaped body moves through all of them at once.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eAt the centre of this bead runs a single band of deep charcoal-grey agate — not pitch-black, but a dense, cool dark grey that reads almost architectural against what surrounds it. To its left, the agate transitions to a cool translucent grey-white, near-glassy and milky in strong light, the kind of translucency that only occurs in high-quality natural agate that has been worn and polished over centuries. To its right, the material shifts again: a warm peach-orange zone with soft brown inclusion pockets moving through it, organic and uneven, the record of how this stone formed beneath the earth long before it was shaped into a bead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe body form is what makes this bead immediately distinct from every other single-stripe Chung dzi in the collection. It is not fusiform. It is not barrel-shaped. It is bow-shaped — the upper profile describes a gentle outward arc, a convex curve, while the lower profile runs comparatively flat. The result is a body that does not taper symmetrically but leans slightly, as though the stone itself had a preferred direction. The third dimension (8.9mm at its widest cross-section) confirms what the photographs show: this bead is not round in cross-section. It is slightly flattened, the bow curve creating a form unlike any other piece in this collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe surface carries a high-gloss polish across the main body, catching light in long white highlight streaks visible across the grey-white and peach-orange zones in Images 2 and 4. The end cap face (Image 7) shows a subtly more matte-satin finish, consistent with age-related differential wear between the body and the tip. The dark central stripe shows fine surface micro-abrasion scoring — lines consistent with centuries of handling and contact wear, not damage. Two small pinholes are visible on the bead body (Images 5 and 7) and are fully disclosed. No chips. No cracks. No medicine digs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eNo etching was applied to this bead. The single dark stripe is the agate itself — a natural colour band formed during the stone's geological development. This places it in the same rare category as \u003cstrong\u003eAt-020726-Chung\u003c\/strong\u003e (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-single-stripe-bow-shaped-chung-dzi-at-061526-1sbow\"\u003eAntique Single Stripe Bow Shaped Chung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e), which also carries a natural dark central band with no etching. The two beads are distinguished clearly: At-020726-Chung is a short wide fusiform with an ivory-cream and dark bicolour composition and a soft gradient transition; this bead is a bow-shaped form with a hard-edged tricolour composition — grey-white, charcoal-grey, and peach-orange — and a body geometry that has no parallel in the collection. Age estimates also differ: At-020726-Chung is estimated at approximately 500 years; this bead is estimated at 200–300 years, placing it firmly in the antique range.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003ch4 class=\"text-text-100 mt-2 -mb-1 text-base font-bold\"\u003eThe Single Stripe Motif — 瓊珠一線紋\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe single stripe, or one-line Chung dzi (瓊珠一線紋), is among the most structurally direct expressions in the Tibetan and Himalayan bead tradition. A single horizontal band encircling the bead's body represents an unbroken boundary — a line that divides the world into above and below, earth and sky, form and emptiness. In Tibetan folk belief, the single stripe is associated with continuous success and unbroken flow: a line that has no beginning and no end, circling the bead without interruption. Businesspeople and traders have long favoured single-stripe beads for this reason, associating the unbroken band with the continuity of fortune and the persistence of prosperity. On this bead, the stripe is not white or cream — it is the dark void at the centre, flanked by light, which inverts the conventional reading and gives this particular piece an unusual contemplative quality.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Single stripe (一線紋); one horizontal deep charcoal-grey natural agate band across central body, flanked by cool translucent grey-white (left) and warm peach-orange with brown natural inclusions (right)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 38.1mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 11.5mm (max); 8.9mm (cross-section depth — bow form)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bow-shaped; asymmetric body profile — upper edge convex arc, lower edge comparatively flat; slightly flattened cross-section; rounded dome end caps\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural tricolour agate — no etching; deep charcoal-grey central stripe; cool translucent grey-white end zone (left); warm peach-orange zone with brown natural inclusions (right)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge Estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 200–300 years\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fine surface micro-abrasion scoring on dark band (age-consistent wear); two small pinholes on body (disclosed, Images 5 and 7); no chips; no cracks; no medicine digs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e At-061526-1SBow\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-warm-honey-brown-agate-ac-041320-7schung\"\u003eAntique Seven Stripe Chung Dzi Honey Brown Agate\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/antique-dzi-beads\"\u003eAntique Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou may also like:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-single-stripe-bow-shaped-chung-dzi-at-061526-1sbow\"\u003eAntique Single Stripe Bow Shaped Chung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e — Natural bicolour agate, fusiform body, ~500 yrs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-warm-honey-brown-agate-ac-041320-7schung\"\u003eAntique Seven Stripe Chung Dzi Honey Brown Agate\u003c\/a\u003e — Seven acid-etched stripes, warm honey-brown ground, 200–300 yrs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-five-stripe-chung-dzi-terracotta-at-070622-5schung\"\u003eAntique Five Stripe Chung Dzi Terracotta\u003c\/a\u003e — True barrel form, cool grey-brown ground, 300–500 yrs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-single-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-pitch-black-white-ac-061426-1schungbs\"\u003eAncient Single Stripe Chung Dzi Bloodspots Pitch Black White\u003c\/a\u003e — Pitch-black stripe, mosaic calcification, cinnabar inclusions, 1,500–2,000 yrs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\"\u003eWhat Is a Chung Dzi? Understanding Striped Agate Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/understanding-buddhism\"\u003eHow to Identify Genuine Antique Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eOne stripe. Three stones. One body that bends.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e📷 We never retouch our photos. Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e#AntiqueChungDzi #SingleStripeDzi #ChungDzi #BowShapedDzi #NaturalAgateDzi #TricolourAgate #TibetanDzi #DziBead #AntiqueDziBead #HimalayanBead #AncientDziShop #At061526-1SBow #DziCollection #NaturalAgateBead #TibetanBuddhistBead\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ancient Dzi Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44663435526310,"sku":null,"price":700.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/files\/Antique_Single_Stripe_Chung_-_Bow-shaped_Dzi_1.jpg?v=1788940932"},{"product_id":"tiger-tooth-stripe-carnelian-dzi-tri-tone-dark-at-040524-ttstr","title":"Tiger Tooth \u0026 Stripe Carnelian Dzi, 49.8 × 12.7mm, tri-tone dark ground (At-040524-TTStr)","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe ground of this bead is not one colour — and that changes everything about how the motif reads.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eMost carnelian dzi in this collection carry a consistent ground tone from end to end. This bead does not. The natural carnelian from which it was formed contains three distinct colour zones: warm reddish-brown end caps that taper to rounded points, deep dark chocolate-brown flanking the central body, and a band of pitch-black natural agate banding at the core — visible clearly from white-background photographs in the negative spaces between the etched tooth forms. The cream-white acid-etched motif runs across all three zones simultaneously, and its character shifts as the ground beneath it changes. Against the pitch-black central banding, the cream-white lines read at maximum contrast. Against the warmer reddish-brown of the end cap transitions, they soften. Against the dark chocolate-brown, they occupy the middle register between those two readings. The motif does not change — the stone changes beneath it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe composition itself is among the densest in the antique carnelian collection. Five registers of paired tiger tooth chevrons alternate with six vertical stripe dividers across the full circumference, creating a continuous interlocking pattern that covers the entire motif field from end cap boundary to end cap boundary without a gap. Each tooth register consists of a mirrored pair: upper arrowheads pointing downward, lower arrowheads pointing upward, their tips nearly meeting at the centre of the register. The vertical stripe dividers — clean, straight etched lines running the full height of the motif band — give the composition its rhythm and prevent the tooth forms from merging into a single undifferentiated field. At the density visible in Images 2 and 4, the overall visual impression at normal viewing distance is of a bead almost entirely covered in cream-white etching, with the dark ground reading as negative space between the lines rather than as the dominant surface.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe three faces are not identical. Face A (Image 2) shows the fullest contrast: the pitch-black body banding is most prominently visible in the central registers, and the cream-white lines are bold and well-preserved. Face B (Image 3) shows the same composition with slightly softer etching — the lines are marginally thinner in some registers, consistent with contact wear on the reverse face of an amulet bead. Face C (Image 4) is the boldest in terms of line preservation and shows the most consistently cream-white mineralisation across all registers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe end cap views (Images 5 and 6) confirm two details worth noting. First, the drill holes are small, clean, and centred — not funnel-type, consistent with the age category. Second, the end caps show natural carnelian veining and flow marks within the stone — this is not surface damage but the internal structure of the material, visible here because the end cap zones were not etched and the natural translucency of the stone allows the interior pattern to show through.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThis bead is explicitly different from the Three Eye \u0026amp; Tiger Stripe carnelian (At-071322-3ETT) also in the collection. That bead is larger (52.4×15.1mm), carries large open V-chevrons anchored by three diamond eyes, and has a uniform dark ground. This bead is smaller in diameter (12.7mm versus 15.1mm), has no eye element, features a denser repeating tooth-pair composition with vertical stripe dividers, and carries a genuinely tri-tonal ground that no other carnelian in the collection replicates.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Tiger Tooth \u0026amp; Stripe (虎牙條紋 \/ Hǔyá Tiáowén) Motif\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe tiger tooth (虎牙) in the Tibetan dzi tradition carries the direct energy of the mountain predator: strength, decisiveness, the authority of a presence that does not need to announce itself. Where the eye motif deflects and watches, the tooth acts. In a bead where the tiger tooth appears not once but in repeating paired registers — five rows, each pair mirroring the next — the accumulated effect is understood as an amplification of that energy: not a single tooth but a full set, directed outward in all directions simultaneously. The stripe dividers (條紋 \/ tiáowén) between each register have their own meaning: continuity, the unbroken line, the path that does not end. In combination, tiger tooth and stripe produce a motif that carries both the force of the predator and the persistence of a line that simply does not stop — two qualities that made this bead type valued by Himalayan traders, warriors, and practitioners for whom protection on the road was not metaphorical.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Tiger Tooth \u0026amp; Stripe (虎牙條紋 \/ Hǔyá Tiáowén); five registers of paired interlocking tiger tooth chevrons; six vertical stripe dividers; full circumference coverage\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 49.8mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 12.7mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Elongated fusiform; rounded pointed end caps; widest at centre; symmetrical bilateral taper\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural tri-tone carnelian — pitch-black central body banding; deep dark chocolate-brown body ground; warm reddish-brown end caps; cream-white acid-etched motif lines throughout\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge Estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 200–500 years\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Face B shows minor line softening consistent with contact wear (disclosed, Image 3); minor natural surface pitting on end caps (not damage); no cracks; no rework; no medicine digs; drill holes clean and centred\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None observed\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e At-040524-TTStr\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-double-wave-dzi-bead-20mm-300-500yr-at-0426-dw2\"\u003eAntique Tortoise Shell Motif Carnelian Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/new-two-eye-motif-dzi-bead-bloodspots-n062126-2e\"\u003eAntique Two Eye Motif Dzi Bead With Rare Bloodspots\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Tiger Tooth \u0026amp; Stripe Motifs\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eTiger tooth and stripe compositions span centuries of Himalayan protection practice. These related examples showcase variations in density, ground tone, and eye integration that complement this tri-tone carnelian.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAntique\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eAntique beads in this collection share the same 100–500 year age range and demonstrate refinement of composition across dark agate grounds.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/three-eye-tiger-stripe-carnelian-dzi-chocolate-brown-at-071322-3ett\"\u003eThree Eye Tiger Stripe Carnelian Dzi, 52.4×15.1mm, dark chocolate-brown with diamond eyes and V-chevrons (At-071322-3ETT)\u003c\/a\u003e — $1000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-four-eye-tiger-tooth-tibetan-dzi-bead-49mm-200-400yr-at-071026-4ett\"\u003eFour Eye \u0026amp; Tiger Tooth Dzi Bead, 49.0×11.7mm, very dark brown agate (At-071026-4ETT)\u003c\/a\u003e — $800.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-three-eye-tiger-tooth-dzi-46-2mm-at-061926-3ett\"\u003eThree Eye \u0026amp; Tiger Tooth Dzi, 46.2×12.9mm, pitch-black agate (At-061926-3ETT)\u003c\/a\u003e — $3500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-six-tiger-stripe-carnelian-dzi-at-070822-6ts\"\u003eAntique Six Tiger Stripe Carnelian Dzi, 50.7×12.9mm, chocolate-brown with bicolour end caps (At-070822-6TS)\u003c\/a\u003e — $1500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-three-diamond-eye-tiger-tooth-dzi-pitch-black-at-090126-3dett\"\u003eThree Diamond Eye \u0026amp; Tiger Tooth Dzi, 40.1×13.9mm, pitch-black agate, 200–300 years (At-090126-3DETT)\u003c\/a\u003e — $3000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-six-eye-tiger-tooth-dzi-bead-honey-gold-at-053126-6ett\"\u003eAntique Six Eye \u0026amp; Tiger Tooth Dzi, 57.9×12.9mm, diamond-framed eyes with honey-gold motif (At-053126-6ETT)\u003c\/a\u003e — $3000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNew \u0026amp; Vintage\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eContemporary and 1980s Taiwan examples that explore tiger tooth themes without etching density or historical ground complexity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/new-tiger-tooth-six-eye-lotus-dzi-barrel-cream-ground-n-062226-ttsel\"\u003eNew Tiger Tooth \u0026amp; Six Eye Lotus Dzi Bead, 25.1×19.6mm, cream-ground dark brown barrel (N-062226-TTSEL)\u003c\/a\u003e — $300.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/vintage-six-eye-tiger-tooth-dzi-bloodspots-v-061026-6ettbs\"\u003eVintage Six Eye \u0026amp; Tiger Tooth Dzi with Extreme Bloodspots, 49.1×12.3mm, cinnabar-saturated sandy-peach field (V-061026-6ETTBS)\u003c\/a\u003e — $600.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/new-pair-of-round-tiger-tooth-dzi-beads-with-extreme-bloodspots\"\u003eTiger Tooth Motif Pair, 20.3×14.7mm \u0026amp; 20.5×14.7mm, warm terracotta agate with bloodspots (At-062926-TTBS)\u003c\/a\u003e — $600.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/new-pair-of-round-tiger-tooth-dzi-beads-with-extreme-bloodspots\"\u003eTiger Tooth Motif Pair, 21.9×17.2mm \u0026amp; 20.7×17.2mm, brown-ground agate with bloodspots (N-062926-TTBS2)\u003c\/a\u003e — $300.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/new-pair-of-round-tiger-tooth-dzi-beads-with-extreme-bloodspots\"\u003eTiger Tooth Motif, 22.1×18.3mm, cream-white and brown agate (V-062926-TT)\u003c\/a\u003e — $600.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-two-diamond-eye-dzi-bloodspots-1500-2000yr-anc-0426-2de\"\u003eAncient Two Eye Motif Dzi Bead Extremely Old\u003c\/a\u003e — on acid-etching, surface mineralisation, and reading age in carnelian dzi\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-six-eye-lotus-motif-dzi-bead-tid-siel\"\u003eAncient Six Eye Lotus Motif Carnelian Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e — on the role of natural stone colour variation in Himalayan protective jewellery\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eFive rows of teeth. Six dividing stripes. One stone that decided to be three colours at once.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e📷 We never retouch our photos. Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHashtags\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e#AncientDziShop #AntiqueCarneliaDzi #TigerToothDzi #TigerStripeDzi #HuYaTiaoWen #CarneliaDzi #TibetanDziBead #HimalayanBead #TriToneCarnelian #DziBead #AntiqueBead #TibetanJewelry #At040524TTStr #ProtectiveBead #CarnelianAmulet\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ancient Dzi Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45056247431334,"sku":null,"price":1000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/files\/Antique_Tri-Color_Carnelian_Bead_with_Tiger_Stripes_Stripes_1.jpg?v=1788941079"},{"product_id":"three-stripe-carnelian-dzi-bicolour-terracotta-black-at-122324-3ts","title":"Three Stripe Carnelian Dzi, 48.7 × 9.4mm, bicolour terracotta-red and pitch-black (At-122324-3TS)","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe bicolour contrast on this bead does not come from the etching — it comes from the stone itself, and the three cream-white stripes were placed precisely where the carnelian changes colour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThis is one of the most structurally legible striped carnelian dzi beads in the collection. The motif is three horizontal bands of cream-white etching, dividing the bead into four alternating panels: vivid warm terracotta-red end caps at both poles, two pitch-black central zones flanking the body, and a terracotta-red centre band between the two inner stripes. The panel arrangement reads clearly from every angle — the photographer has not needed to correct or enhance a single detail, and the colour contrast is as direct in the photographs as it is in the hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe stripes themselves deserve close attention. Photographed at full resolution across multiple angles, the cream-white bands show the characteristic rough, granular, mineralised edge texture of genuine acid-etching: uneven boundaries, slight pitting along the stripe margins, and a surface quality that distinguishes hand-etched ancient work from any modern reproduction. On one face (Image 5), the outermost right stripe shows partial fading and wear along the upper edge — an age marker, not a defect, and it is disclosed here in full. The stripes have not been retouched, re-cut, or filled.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe body form is an elongated fusiform barrel: widest at the centre, tapering symmetrically to both ends. The terracotta-red end caps are high-gloss — natural to the carnelian in those zones — while the pitch-black body panels carry a matte to semi-matte surface, a contrast that is intrinsic to the stone and not produced by polishing. Small white mineral deposits are visible at the drill hole rim in Image 6 — a surface accumulation consistent with age and storage, not damage. Two small surface pinhole-scale marks appear on the right end cap face (Image 3), disclosed here as minor surface character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThis bead is distinguished from the six-stripe carnelian (At-070822-6TS) in the collection by its stripe count and body register: where that bead carries six bands across a longer, wider barrel with natural mauve-pink banding, this three-stripe bead is markedly more slender (9.4mm diameter versus 12.9mm), and the bicolour contrast between the red and black zones is more pronounced and immediate. The three-stripe composition is rarer in the antique carnelian tradition, and the placement of the stripes at the exact colour boundaries — rather than across a single-colour body — suggests a maker reading and responding to the natural zoning of the stone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Stripe (條紋 \/ Tiáowén) Motif\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eIn the Tibetan dzi bead tradition, stripes carry the meaning of unceasing flow — a line that does not stop, that does not turn back, that persists across whatever ground it crosses. The tiger stripe form (虎紋 \/ hǔwén) is the most recognised expression of this idea, but the horizontal register stripe — as seen here — is an older and more direct statement: a band that divides the world into layers, or that marks a boundary and then continues past it. For Tibetan and Himalayan wearers, striped beads have long been associated with continuity, protection along a path, and the kind of success that accumulates steadily rather than arriving all at once. This bead's three stripes, read across its bicolour ground, carry that meaning in the most visually compact form: nothing is hidden, nothing is approximate, and the composition does not ask you to interpret it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Three Stripe (條紋 \/ Tiáowén); three horizontal cream-white etched bands; four alternating panels of terracotta-red and pitch-black carnelian \u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 48.7mm \u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 9.4mm \u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Elongated fusiform barrel; symmetrical taper to both ends; widest at centre \u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bicolour natural carnelian — vivid warm terracotta-red end caps and centre band; pitch-black central panels; cream-white acid-etched stripe lines; high-gloss on red zones, matte on dark zones \u003cstrong\u003eAge Estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 300–400 years \u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e One stripe showing partial edge wear on reverse face (disclosed, Image 5); two minor pinhole-scale marks on right end cap face (disclosed, Image 3); small mineral deposits at drill hole rim (Image 6); no cracks; no rework; no medicine digs \u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None observed \u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e At-122324-3TS \u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-double-wave-dzi-bead-20mm-300-500yr-at-0426-dw2\"\u003eAntique Tortoise Shell Motif Carnelian Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/new-two-eye-motif-dzi-bead-bloodspots-n062126-2e\"\u003eAntique Two Eye Motif Dzi Bead With Rare Bloodspots\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou may also like\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eIf this bead speaks to you, you may want to explore related pieces in the collection:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-six-tiger-stripe-carnelian-dzi-at-070822-6ts\"\u003eAntique Six Tiger Stripe Carnelian Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e — the six-stripe fusiform, bicolour end caps, longest carnelian in the collection at 50.7×12.9mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-five-tiger-stripe-carnelian-dzi-reworked-at-030823-5tsr\"\u003eAntique Five Tiger Stripe Carnelian Dzi Reworked\u003c\/a\u003e — honey-gold chevron stripes, reworked bead with original stripe visible beneath the composition, 25.2×11.0mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-five-tiger-stripe-carnelian-dzi-calcification-ac-030823-5ts2\"\u003eAncient Five Tiger Stripe Carnelian Dzi Calcification\u003c\/a\u003e — octagonal cross-section, ancient funnel drill hole, 800–1,000 years, 31.6×11.4mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-carnelian-dzi-diamond-eye-wave-tiger-tooth-ac-030623-ddie\"\u003eAncient Carnelian Dzi Diamond Eye Wave Tiger Tooth\u003c\/a\u003e — bicolour terracotta-red and deep grey-black agate, widest-diameter carnelian, 26.5×13.5mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-three-diamond-eye-tiger-tooth-motif-dzi-bead-rare-triangular-shape\"\u003eAntique Three Diamond Eye Tiger Tooth Motif Dzi Bead Rare Triangular Shape\u003c\/a\u003e — terracotta-red ground, diamond eye precursor, cinnabar bloodspots, 27.5×13.0mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/what-makes-a-dzi-bead-authentic\"\u003eWhat Makes a Dzi Bead Authentic?\u003c\/a\u003e — on etching methods, surface age markers, and how to read a genuine carnelian bead\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-criss-cross-carnelian-dzi-pair-ac-062426-ccx\"\u003eAncient Carnelian Criss Cross Motif Dzi Bead Hexagon Shape\u003c\/a\u003e — on the role of red and orange stones in Himalayan protective jewellery\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThree stripes, two colours, one stone — and the maker placed the lines exactly where the carnelian told them to.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e📷 We never retouch our photos. Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHashtags\u003c\/strong\u003e #AncientDziShop #AntiqueCarneliaDzi #ThreeStripeDzi #StripedCarneliaDzi #TiaoWen #CarneliaDzi #TibetanDziBead #HimalayanBead #BicolourCarnelian #AntiqueBead #DziBead #TibetanJewelry #At122324 #At1223243TS #ProtectiveBead\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ancient Dzi Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46027701551270,"sku":null,"price":1000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/files\/Antique_Striped_Carnelian_Dzi_4.jpg?v=1788941968"},{"product_id":"four-stripe-agate-dzi-barrel-grey-brown-chips-disclosed-ac-061426-4str","title":"Four Stripe Agate Dzi, 32.3 × 14.3mm, deep cool grey-brown barrel, both ends chipped (Ac-061426-4Str)","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe four stripe lines on this bead do not announce themselves — they hold.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWrapped in four horizontal cream-beige etched bands, this compact barrel-form agate dzi divides its deep cool grey-brown body into three even registers. The stripes are not sharp; they carry the slightly raised, textured edge characteristic of acid-etched work that has been worn and handled over centuries, their surfaces roughened and softened at the same time. Seen straight-on in Image 6, the bead reads as almost architectural — a series of contained horizontal zones that sit quietly on a ground whose colour shifts subtly from a cooler grey-brown along the body to a deeper, warmer brown-mauve at the ends.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe body form is a true straight barrel — uniform diameter across its full 32.3mm length, with the widest point at 14.3mm. The surface carries the longitudinal micro-grooving that develops in ancient agate dzi over centuries of wear: fine parallel lines running along the axis of the bead, visible in Images 2 and 6 as a soft ribbing beneath the ground. This is not polish damage — it is the accumulated record of long use and age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eBoth ends carry impact damage and are fully documented across Images 2 through 5. The right end (Image 2) shows more extensive chipping, with a ragged, multi-layered fracture zone that exposes the interior of the stone — a warm reddish-brown core visible beneath the darker etched surface, confirming the natural banding of the agate beneath. The drill hole is intact and clearly visible at centre. The left end (Images 3–5) carries a moderate chip with a curved fracture line running along the rim; the drill hole here is also intact and centred. Both ends are fully photographed. Please review all images carefully before purchasing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe ground colour seen in these white-background photographs reads as a deep cool grey-brown — not warm, not chocolate, but a distinctly cooler, slightly desaturated brown with a subtle grey undertone. This is consistent throughout the body and distinguishes this bead from the warmer-toned antique stripe dzi in the collection. The four cream-beige stripe lines appear in a muted, slightly warm off-white — not bright white, not ivory, but a worn, aged cream that has absorbed the character of the stone around it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eAt 500–700 years, this bead sits at the boundary of the antique and ancient classification — now correctly identified as ancient. It shares the straight-barrel stripe tradition with the Chung dzi family but carries only four stripes and lacks the bicone end-taper of those pieces. Among the stripe dzi in this collection, it is notably compact and broad relative to its length, giving it a stockier, more grounded presence than the longer fusiform carnelian stripe pieces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Four Stripe Motif\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe stripe motif — known broadly within the Chung dzi (瓊珠) tradition — is among the oldest and most elemental designs in Tibetan dzi culture. Where eye motifs encode symbolic protection and fortune, the stripe motif speaks in a more primary language: division, structure, order. Four stripes produce five zones — a composition that has been read in various traditions as referencing the five elements, the four directions plus centre, or simply the act of marking a sacred object with deliberate horizontal rhythm. On this bead, the stripes wrap the full circumference evenly, making the count consistent from every angle — four bands, no more, no less.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpec Block\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Four Stripe (四條紋); four horizontal acid-etched cream-beige bands dividing the barrel body into three registers; uniform wrap on all sides\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 32.3mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 14.3mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Straight barrel\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Agate — deep cool grey-brown ground, cream-beige etched stripe lines\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge Estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 500–700 years\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Impact chips at both ends — right end more extensive with ragged multi-layer fracture zone exposing warm reddish-brown interior; left end moderate chip with curved fracture line along rim; both drill holes intact; longitudinal surface micro-grooving consistent with age and long use; both ends fully documented in Images 2–5\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ac-061426-4Str\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/ancient-dzi-beads\"\u003eAncient Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-wave-stripe-dzi-bead-at-053126-ws2\"\u003eAntique Wave Stripe Dzi Bead\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou may also like:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eFor other stripe-tradition dzi in the collection:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi (SeS-1), 49.4×11.9mm — Ac-081020-7SChung\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/\"\u003eAncient Five Stripe Cho Dzi 措思天珠, 57.5×13.1mm — Ac-061426-5SChung\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/\"\u003eAntique Single Stripe Chung Dzi, 38.2×11.5mm — At-020726-Chung\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/\"\u003eAntique Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, 40.7×11.4mm — At-061920-7SChung\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/\"\u003eAncient Single Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots, 31.4×9.6mm — Ac-061426-1SChungBS\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\"\u003eUnderstanding Dzi Bead Age and Authentication\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\"\u003eThe Stripe Motif in Tibetan Dzi Tradition\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eFour stripes, five hundred years, and both ends honest about everything they have been through.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e📷 We never retouch our photos. Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHashtags:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e#AncientDziShop #AncientDzi #FourStripeDzi #StripeDzi #ChungDzi #AgateDzi #AncientAgate #TibetanDzi #DziBeads #AgateBead #Ac061426-4Str #AncientBead #TibetanAntique #DziCollection #UnretchedPhotos\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ancient Dzi Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46064698458278,"sku":null,"price":1200.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/files\/Ancient_-_Four_Stripe_Motif_-_Barrel_Shape_1.jpg?v=1788942013"},{"product_id":"chung-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-natural-bicolour-agate-at-020726-chung","title":"Single Stripe Chung Dzi 措思天珠, 38.2 × 11.5mm, ivory-cream and dark grey-brown (At-020726-Chung)","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe pattern on this bead was not made by any human hand — the dark band at its centre is the stone itself, and the stone chose to be two colours.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe Chung dzi (措思天珠 \/ Cuòsī Tiānzhū) occupies a singular position in the dzi tradition precisely because of this fact. Every other dzi in this collection carries a motif applied to its surface — acid-etched lines, shaped by human intention, placed deliberately on the agate ground. The Chung dzi is the exception. Its dark central band and pale end zones are produced entirely by natural geological banding within the agate, formed during the stone's creation over millions of years, visible on the surface because the bead was polished to reveal what was already there. No etching. No motif lines. No human mark anywhere on the surface.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWhat the photographs show is the stone in its polished natural state. The dark central band occupies approximately forty percent of the bead's total length, running the full circumference in a deep cool grey-brown tone — the darkest layer of the natural agate banding. On either side, the stone transitions through a soft warm intermediate zone before opening into broad ivory-cream end caps that taper to the drill holes. This transition is not a hard edge — it is a gradient, visible in Images 3 and 4 as a gradual movement from cream through a warm grey-cream before deepening to the full dark central tone. This gradient is itself a product of the natural layering structure of the agate, and it is one of the most visually distinctive features of this piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe surface is high-gloss throughout — the full bead has been polished to an even, smooth finish that maximises the depth and translucency of both the dark and cream zones. Images 5 and 6 show the end caps at close range: the ivory-cream at each end carries a slight internal luminosity, the natural translucency of quality agate visible through the polished surface. The drill holes at both ends are small, precisely centred, and cleanly executed. A fine hairline is present on the upper surface of the dark zone on Face A (Image 2), a natural surface age mark disclosed here in full. A small natural dark inclusion sits in the lower area of Face B's dark zone (Image 3) — an internal feature of the stone, not surface damage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe body form is a short wide fusiform: compact, substantially wider relative to its length than most dzi in the collection, with a broad equatorial width and a confident, weighted presence. At 38.2mm × 11.5mm the proportions give this bead a presence in the hand that belies its modest length.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThis bead is explicitly different from the Heaven \u0026amp; Earth dzi beads (At-121824-HE2, At-082324-HE3) in the collection, which also present dark-ground compositions with pale elements. Those beads carry etched oval and rectangular motifs on dark agate grounds — they are human-made compositions applied to the surface. The Chung dzi carries no etched element of any kind. It is also different from the Luk Mik ring beads (R-060626-LM, R-060626-LM2), which carry natural concentric ring patterns but are set in silver jewellery settings. The Chung dzi stands alone as the only bead in the collection whose entire visual character is produced by the geology of the stone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Chung Dzi (措思天珠 \/ Cuòsī Tiānzhū)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eIn Tibetan and Himalayan tradition, the Chung dzi holds a status unlike any etched bead. Because its pattern is produced by nature rather than craftsmanship, it is understood as a direct gift — a stone that formed itself into the pattern without human guidance, and that carries within it the undivided energy of the earth it came from. The term 措思 (Cuòsī) in Tibetan translates approximately as \"natural\" or \"self-formed,\" and the 天珠 (Tiānzhū) designation — Heaven Bead — places it within the broader dzi family. Tibetan practitioners have long valued the Chung dzi for its purity: a bead that was not worked, not decorated, not altered — that simply revealed itself through polishing. The dark band at the centre is understood as the concentrated essence of the stone; the pale zones flanking it are read as the opening, the space around that concentration, the breath on either side of the held note. Together they form the simplest and, in this tradition, one of the most complete expressions the dzi form can offer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Single Stripe Chung (措思天珠 \/ Cuòsī Tiānzhū); natural bicolour agate banding — dark central band, ivory-cream end zones; no acid-etching; no applied motif of any kind\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 38.2mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 11.5mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Short wide fusiform; broad equatorial width; smooth symmetrical taper to both end caps\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural agate throughout — deep cool grey-brown central banding zone; warm ivory-cream end zones; soft gradient transition between zones; high-gloss polish across full surface\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge Estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Approximately 500 years\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fine hairline on Face A upper surface of dark zone (natural age mark, disclosed, Image 2); small natural dark inclusion in Face B dark zone (internal, not damage, disclosed, Image 3); no chips; no cracks; no rework; no medicine digs; both drill holes clean and centred\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None observed\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e At-020726-Chung\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/antique-dzi-beads\"\u003eAntique Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/chung-dzi\"\u003eChung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Chung Dzi \u0026amp; Natural Banded Agate Beads\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe Chung dzi tradition celebrates the unworked stone — beads whose patterns emerge from nature's hand alone. The collection below honours this principle across multiple forms and ages, from ancient multi-stripe examples to new naturally-banded pieces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAncient\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThese pieces represent the deepest expression of the Chung lineage, formed over centuries and verified by time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-warm-honey-brown-agate-ac-041320-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, 49.1×12.8mm, warm honey-brown agate, 500+ years (Ac-041320-7SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — multiple natural bands across full length, geological banding structure, $5000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-dark-brown-agate-scratches-ac-080620-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, 48.2×12.4mm, warm dark brown agate, 500+ years (Ac-080620-7SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — seven distinct stripes showing natural geological formation, $5000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-single-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-pitch-black-white-ac-061426-1schungbs\"\u003eAncient Single Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots, 31.4×9.6mm, pitch-black and white, 600+ years (Ac-061426-1SChungBS)\u003c\/a\u003e — single bold stripe, natural cinnabar deposits, $18000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-five-stripe-cho-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-pale-cream-ac-061426-5schung\"\u003eAncient Five Stripe Cho Dzi, 57.5×13.1mm, milky translucent grey-white with pitch-black bands, 600+ years (Ac-061426-5SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — five natural bands in rare pale palette, $8000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-single-stripe-chung-dzi-heibai-belly-ac-061526-1sbw\"\u003eAncient Single Stripe Chung Dzi, 26.3×9.7mm, belly form, pitch-black and white, 600+ years (Ac-061526-1SBW)\u003c\/a\u003e — single bold stripe in rare compressed form, $8000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-nineteen-stripe-chung-dzi-pair-ac-080420-19schung\"\u003ePair of Ancient Nineteen Stripe Chung Dzi, 46.4×11.8mm \u0026amp; 46.9×11.6mm, 1,500+ years (Ac-080420-19SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — nineteen natural bands, deep geological layering, $4000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-agate-near-pitch-black-ac-081020-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, 49.4×11.9mm, near-pitch-black ground, 1,000–1,500 years (Ac-081020-7SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — seven stripes in deep cool palette, $5000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-two-eye-dzi-bead-oval-cross-section-ac-071026-twe3\"\u003eAncient Two Eye Dzi Bead, 45.4×13.8mm, oval cross-section, deep charcoal grey-brown agate (Ac-071026-TWE3)\u003c\/a\u003e — naturally formed eye motifs from geological banding, $16000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-single-stripe-chung-dzi-pair-bicone-ac-061526-1spair\"\u003ePair of Ancient Single Stripe Chung Dzi, 25.4×9.2mm \u0026amp; 25.2×9.4mm, pale and dark bicone pair (Ac-061526-1SPair)\u003c\/a\u003e — matched pair with single natural bands, $3500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAntique\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThese Chung and naturally-banded pieces span 100–500 years, preserving the unworked stone tradition through centuries of use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-nine-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-at-110223-9sbs\"\u003eAntique Nine Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots, 44.7×11.6mm, pitch-black ground, 300–500 years (At-110223-9SBS)\u003c\/a\u003e — nine natural bands with cinnabar deposits, $1700.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-nine-stripe-chung-dzi-bead-pair-at-062626-9schung\"\u003ePair of Antique Nine Stripe Chung Dzi Beads, 30.1×9.9mm \u0026amp; 30.2×9.5mm, agate (At-062626-9SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — matched pair with nine natural bands, $1500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-five-stripe-chung-dzi-terracotta-at-070622-5schung\"\u003eAntique Five Stripe Chung Dzi, 48.2×13.1mm, warm terracotta reddish-brown agate, 300–500 years (At-070622-5SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — five natural stripes in warm palette, $1500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-single-stripe-bow-shaped-chung-dzi-at-061526-1sbow\"\u003eAntique Single Stripe Bow-Shaped Chung Dzi, 38.1×11.5mm, tricolour natural agate, 300–500 years (At-061526-1SBow)\u003c\/a\u003e — single stripe in compressed bow form, $700.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-natural-bow-shaped-dzi-bead-107mm-pitch-black-agate-at-n-071126-bow\"\u003eAntique Bow-Shaped Natural Dzi, 107.1×19.0mm, pitch-black banded agate (At-N-071126-BOW)\u003c\/a\u003e — large naturally-banded form, geological banding throughout, $3000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-natural-banded-agate-dzi-bead-63mm-at-n-071426-nba\"\u003eNaturally Banded Agate, 63.3×17.4mm, Pitch-Black \u0026amp; White Multi-Band (At-N-071426-NBA)\u003c\/a\u003e — multiple natural bands, no etching, pure geological formation, $1500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-single-stripe-chung-dzi-pair-bicone-brown-at-081123-1spair\"\u003ePair of Antique Single Stripe Chung Dzi, 15.7×11.5mm \u0026amp; 15.8×11.5mm, warm dark brown, greying stripe (At-081123-1SPair)\u003c\/a\u003e — matched pair with single natural bands, $800.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNew \u0026amp; Vintage\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eContemporary naturally-banded pieces continue the Chung tradition, each displaying unique geological patterns.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/natural-one-eye-dzi-bead-56mm-banded-agate-n-n-071026-1e3\"\u003eNatural One Eye Dzi Bead, 56.0×19.9mm, naturally banded agate, white grey blue brown black (N-N-071026-1E3)\u003c\/a\u003e — natural multi-coloured banding with eye formation, $350.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/natural-one-eye-dzi-bead-blue-grey-banded-agate-50mm-n-n-071426-1e4\"\u003eNaturally-Formed One Eye Motif, 50.3×20.5mm, Blue-Grey \u0026amp; Olive Banded Agate (N-N-071426-1E4)\u003c\/a\u003e — natural banding with eye pattern, pure geological formation, $350.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/large-natural-one-eye-agate-dzi-new-n-n-062126-1e\"\u003eLarge Natural Formed One Eye Dzi Bead, 70.7×21.0mm, Pale Grey \u0026amp; Warm Gold Banded Agate (N-N-062126-1E)\u003c\/a\u003e — large naturally-banded form with eye pattern, $350.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/natural-one-eye-dzi-bead-olive-form-black-banded-agate-n-n-071126-1e-olv3\"\u003eNatural One Eye Dzi, 41.5×15.3mm, deep dark brown-black banded agate (N-N-071126-1E-OLV3)\u003c\/a\u003e — natural banding in compact olive form, $200.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/natural-one-eye-dzi-druzy-eye-centre-warm-brown-banded-agate-n-n-071126-1e-olv5\"\u003eNatural One Eye Dzi, 36.8×16.1mm, warm brown banded agate, druzy eye centre (N-N-071126-1E-OLV5)\u003c\/a\u003e — natural banding with mineral-formed eye, $200.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/natural-one-eye-dzi-bead-olive-form-banded-agate-n-n-071026-1e-olv2\"\u003eNatural One Eye Dzi, 39.1×15.8mm, dark grey-brown banded agate (N-N-071026-1E-OLV2)\u003c\/a\u003e — natural banding, compact olive form, $200.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/natural-one-eye-dzi-bead-34-7x17-5mm-olive-form-very-dark-brown-agate-n-n-071026-1e-olv\"\u003eNatural One Eye Dzi Bead, 34.7×17.5mm, Olive Form, very dark brown agate (N-N-071026-1E-OLV)\u003c\/a\u003e — natural banding in olive-shaped form, $200.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/new-natural-one-eye-agate-dzi-nn062126-1e2\"\u003eNew Natural One Eye Dzi Bead, 42.5×16.8mm, Banded Agate (N-N-062126-1E2)\u003c\/a\u003e — natural banding with formed eye pattern, $300.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/new-bow-shaped-natural-banded-agate-dzi-curved-n-n-062126-bow6\"\u003eNew Bow Shaped Natural Banded Agate Dzi Bead (Nat-B-14)\u003c\/a\u003e — naturally banded in bow form, $300.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/cigar-shape-natural-banded-agate-dzi-nn062126-cs1\"\u003eNew Natural Banded Agate Dzi (Nat-CS-1)\u003c\/a\u003e — naturally banded in cigar form, $200.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-warm-honey-brown-agate-ac-041320-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi Warm Honey Brown Agate\u003c\/a\u003e — on the 措思天珠, geological banding, and why the unworked bead holds its own spiritual authority\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/what-makes-a-dzi-bead-authentic\"\u003eWhat Makes a Dzi Bead Authentic?\u003c\/a\u003e — on the difference between etched and natural dzi types, and how to read genuine surface character\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eSome beads carry a motif because a maker placed one there. This bead carries its pattern because the stone decided to be two colours, and someone polished it to show you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e📷 We never retouch our photos. Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHashtags\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e#AncientDziShop #ChungDzi #措思天珠 #CuosiTianzhu #NaturalDzi #TibetanDziBead #HimalayanBead #NaturalAgate #BicolourAgate #DziBead #AntiqueBead #TibetanJewelry #At020726Chung #NaturalPatternDzi #SelfFormedDzi\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ancient Dzi Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56171274731686,"sku":null,"price":4000.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/files\/20260207_235527.jpg?v=1788937259"},{"product_id":"antique-single-stripe-chung-dzi-pair-bicone-brown-at-081123-1spair","title":"Pair of Antique Single Stripe Chung Dzi, Bicone Form, 15.7×11.5mm \u0026 15.8×11.5mm, Warm Dark Brown, Greying Stripe (At-081123-1SPair)","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe central stripe on each of these beads is not white and not grey — it is caught mid-way between the two, and the photographs show you exactly where in that journey it currently sits.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThat transition is not a flaw. It is what three to five centuries of mineral chemistry does to a calcification band deposited in the central zone of a natural agate bead. The stripe began as a bright mineral accumulation; it has been slowly absorbing the chemistry of the agate and the environment around it, and the photographs show it in its current state: a wide, granular, cool grey-white band that reads differently in different light, sometimes closer to cream, sometimes clearly grey. It will continue to change. What you see is a bead in process — which is what every genuine antique piece is.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe form is a clean bicone: two equal conical halves tapering from the equatorial stripe band to small, well-centred drill holes at each pole. This is the classic Chung dzi single-stripe body, and in this pair the proportions are almost perfectly matched — 15.7×11.5mm and 15.8×11.5mm, a difference of a single tenth of a millimetre in length. At nearly 16mm in diameter against just under 16mm in length, these are almost spherical in overall silhouette, with the bicone taper only becoming apparent when the beads are viewed from the end.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe two beads are not identical in ground colour, and that difference is part of what makes the pair visually coherent rather than repetitive. Bead A carries a warm reddish-brown on its upper cone and a deep, substantially darker tone on its lower cone — the colour shift is visible in Image 1 and confirmed from the end views in Images 2 and 3. The upper shoulder of Bead A also shows a faint blue-grey sheen in the photographs, a phenomenon occasionally observed in ancient and antique agate where the internal light refraction through the stone produces a cool optical overtone at the surface. Bead B is more tonally uniform across both cones — a consistent warm dark reddish-brown throughout, with natural agate banding faintly visible through the body in the end-face photographs. Both beads carry a high-gloss surface on their brown agate zones, contrasting directly with the matte-granular texture of the greying stripe band. This surface contrast — gloss against matte, brown against grey-white — is what makes the single-stripe Chung dzi composition legible from any distance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe stripe on each bead occupies the full equatorial width — a wide central band rather than a narrow accent, giving each bead a substantial visual weight at its centre that the tapering cones then resolve at both ends. No bloodspot inclusions are detected in any photograph. No chips, cracks, medicine digs, or surface damage are present.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eIn this collection, the natural calcification single-stripe category includes At-020726-Chung — a short wide fusiform with a single dark band on an ivory-cream ground — and the ancient bicone pair Ac-061526-1SPair, where one bead is pale grey-white and one is deep dark grey-brown. At-081123-1SPair differs from both: where At-020726-Chung is a single bead with a dark band on a light ground, these two beads have a light band on a dark ground, and the pair format gives them a doubled presence neither individual bead could produce alone. Where Ac-061526-1SPair presents as maximum tonal contrast between the two beads, this antique pair reads as tonal variation within the same warm-brown family — more intimate, more closely matched.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Single Stripe Chung Dzi Motif 單條紋瓊珠\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe single stripe Chung dzi (單條紋瓊珠, dān tiáowén qióng zhū) is one of the most reduced forms in the entire dzi tradition — a single band crossing the equator of the bead, dividing it into two equal halves. In Tibetan and broader Himalayan usage, this division is understood as the boundary between opposites: above and below, heaven and earth, visible and invisible, manifest and unmanifest. The single stripe does not elaborate or decorate — it simply marks the place where two things meet. This austerity is its strength. Chung dzi of this type have been used as anchor beads in multi-bead compositions, as meditation objects whose simplicity makes them easier to hold in sustained attention, and as protective pieces whose power is understood to reside precisely in what they do not say. A bead that holds one line holds a complete statement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpec Block\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eSingle Stripe Chung Dzi 單條紋瓊珠 (dān tiáowén qióng zhū); one wide equatorial calcification band; natural deposit, not acid-etched; divides bicone body into two equal conical halves\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eBead A 15.7mm | Bead B 15.8mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eBoth 11.5mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eBicone (double-cone); two equal tapered conical halves meeting at central stripe band; small well-centred drill holes at both poles\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eWarm dark reddish-brown agate ground (Bead A: bicolour — upper cone reddish-brown with faint blue-grey optical sheen, lower cone deep dark brown; Bead B: uniform warm dark reddish-brown with natural internal banding); greying cream to cool grey-white natural calcification stripe band; high-gloss surface on agate zones; matte-granular texture on stripe\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge Estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e300–500 years\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eNo chips, cracks, or surface damage; high-gloss surfaces intact on both beads; no medicine digs; no rework; faint blue-grey optical sheen at upper shoulder of Bead A (natural agate phenomenon, disclosed)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eNone detected\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eAt-081123-1SPair\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/antique-chung-dzi\"\u003eAntique Chung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e|\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/antique-dzi-beads\"\u003eAntique Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou May Also Like\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eOther single-stripe and Chung dzi pieces from this collection:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/chung-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-natural-bicolour-agate-at-020726-chung\"\u003eAt-020726-Chung — Antique Single Stripe Chung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e— natural bicolour agate, no etching; single dark central band on ivory-cream ground; short wide fusiform; ~500 years\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-single-stripe-chung-dzi-pair-bicone-ac-061526-1spair\"\u003eAc-061526-1SPair — Ancient Single Stripe Chung Dzi Pair, Bicone\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e— same bicone form; Bead A pale grey-white ground, Bead B deep dark grey-brown; natural calcification stripe; 600–800 years\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-single-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-pitch-black-white-ac-061426-1schungbs\"\u003eAc-061426-1SChungBS — Ancient Single Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e— pitch-black central band; bright white end cap; cinnabar bloodspot inclusions; 1,500–2,000 years\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/vintage-seven-eye-dzi-5-antique-style-finish-v-fa-062026-7ea5\"\u003eAt-061920-7SChung — Antique Seven Stripe Chung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e— seven acid-etched bands; warm honey-brown semi-translucent ground; 200–300 years\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFurther Reading\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/what-are-dzi-beads\"\u003eWhat Are Dzi Beads? Origins, Meaning \u0026amp; Collecting Guide\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-five-stripe-cho-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-pale-cream-ac-061426-5schung\"\u003eAncient Five Stripe Cho Dzi Cuosi Tianzu Pale Cream\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eTwo beads, one stripe each, three to five hundred years of slow grey chemistry between them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e📷 We never retouch our photos. Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e#ChungDzi #SingleStripeDzi #單條紋瓊珠 #AntiqueDzi #AntiqueDziBead #DziPair #BrownAgate #NaturalCalcification #TibetanDzi #DziCollector #AncientDziShop #At0811231SPair #ChungDziPair #HimalayanBeads #AntiqueDziBead\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ancient Dzi Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56674116894886,"sku":null,"price":800.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/files\/Pair_of_Vintage_Single_Stripe_Chung_1.jpg?v=1788942908"},{"product_id":"six-stripe-agate-dzi-barrel-dark-brown-chip-disclosed-ac-062226-6str","title":"Six Stripe Agate Dzi, 37.1 × 12.7mm, deep warm dark brown barrel, one end chipped (Ac-062226-6Str)","description":"\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe end of this bead tells a different story than the body — and both are worth reading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eSix horizontal acid-etched bands of sandy cream wrap this deep warm dark-brown agate barrel at evenly spaced intervals, dividing the body into seven zones of ground colour. The stripes are consistent in width and spacing across all faces — no compression toward the ends, no drift in register — and their surface has the roughened, granular texture that develops in ancient etched work over centuries of handling: not crisp, not sharp, but worn into the stone in a way that feels inseparable from it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe body is a straight barrel, 37.1mm in length and 12.7mm in diameter, with gently rounded ends. The ground colour reads as a deep warm dark brown — distinctly warmer and more genuinely brown than the cool grey-brown of the Four Stripe piece (Ac-061426-4Str) in this collection. In the most evenly lit views (Images 1–3), it reads as a rich chocolate-brown with a subtle warmth throughout. In the darker-faced angles (Images 3, 8), the ground deepens further without losing that warmth. This is not the same brown.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eOne end carries impact damage and is documented across Images 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. A chip and fracture at the rim have exposed the natural agate interior, revealing a striking cross-section of the stone's own geology: a warm orange-brown zone at the outer edge, a large translucent milky-white zone at the centre, and the dark etched cap still intact on one quadrant. The drill hole is clearly centred and intact, visible in the macro photograph (Image 9). This natural banding exposure is itself a form of authentication — it shows the layered fortification structure of agate beneath the etched surface. The opposite end (Image 4) is intact, with no visible chipping or fracture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe surface of the body shows the fine longitudinal micro-grooving consistent with centuries of wear — faint parallel lines running along the bead's axis, visible in Images 1 and 2 under angled light. Several minor surface pits and micro-marks are visible in the body in close examination, consistent with age and normal handling over a long life. These are not cracks; they are surface-level only.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eCompared to the Four Stripe piece Ac-061426-4Str, this bead carries two additional stripes and is slightly longer and narrower in proportion, giving it a more elongated presence. The natural banding exposure at the chipped end is more dramatic here — the multicolour agate interior visible in Image 9 has no equivalent in the four-stripe piece, where the chip exposed a simpler reddish-brown interior without the milky-white translucent zone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Six Stripe Motif\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eThe stripe motif belongs to the Chung dzi (瓊珠) tradition — among the most ancient and elemental forms of dzi bead craft. Six stripes produce seven bands of ground, a composition associated in Tibetan Buddhist thought with the six realms of existence and the aspiration to move beyond them — though the stripe tradition predates any single doctrinal interpretation and has been read across cultures simply as a marking of the sacred through deliberate horizontal rhythm. On this bead, the six bands wrap the full circumference evenly, maintaining their count and spacing from every angle. The motif is the same from all sides: no front, no back, no hierarchy of faces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpec Block\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eSix Stripe (六條紋); six horizontal acid-etched sandy-cream bands dividing the barrel body into seven registers; uniform wrap on all sides\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e37.1mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e12.7mm\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eStraight barrel with gently rounded ends\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eAgate — deep warm dark brown ground, sandy-cream etched stripe lines; natural multicolour banding (orange-brown, milky-white) visible at chipped end\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAge Estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e500–700 years\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eImpact chip and fracture at one end exposing natural agate interior (orange-brown and milky-white banding zones visible); drill hole at that end intact and centred; opposite end intact with no visible damage; fine longitudinal micro-grooving consistent with age throughout body; minor surface pits visible at close examination; fully documented in Images 5–9\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eNone\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eAc-062226-6Str\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/ancient-dzi-beads\"\u003eAncient Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e|\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/antique-stripe-dzi\"\u003eAntique Stripe Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou may also like:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eFor other stripe-tradition dzi in the collection:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/four-stripe-agate-dzi-barrel-grey-brown-chips-disclosed-ac-061426-4str\"\u003eAncient Four Stripe Agate Dzi, 32.3×14.3mm — Ac-061426-4Str\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi (SeS-1), 49.4×11.9mm — Ac-081020-7SChung\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/\"\u003eAncient Five Stripe Cho Dzi 措思天珠, 57.5×13.1mm — Ac-061426-5SChung\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/\"\u003eAntique Single Stripe Chung Dzi, 38.2×11.5mm — At-020726-Chung\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/\"\u003eAncient Single Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots, 31.4×9.6mm — Ac-061426-1SChungBS\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\"\u003eUnderstanding Dzi Bead Age and Authentication\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003e\u003ca class=\"underline underline underline-offset-2 decoration-1 decoration-current\/40 hover:decoration-current focus:decoration-current\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\"\u003eThe Stripe Motif in Tibetan Dzi Tradition\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr class=\"border-border-200 border-t-0.5 my-3 mx-1.5\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eSix stripes, seven zones of ground, and one end that shows you exactly what a thousand years of agate looks like from the inside.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e📷 We never retouch our photos. Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHashtags:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e#AncientDziShop #AncientDzi #SixStripeDzi #StripeDzi #ChungDzi #AgateDzi #AncientAgate #TibetanDzi #DziBeads #AgateBead #Ac062226-6Str #AncientBead #TibetanAntique #DziCollection #UnretchedPhotos\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ancient Dzi Shop","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":56686965686438,"sku":null,"price":1500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/files\/Barrel_Shaped_Six_Stripe_Ancient_Dzi_1.jpg?v=1788943047"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/collections\/20200810_015646.jpg?v=1772135929","url":"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/en\/collections\/chung-dzi.oembed","provider":"Ancient Dzi Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}