{"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 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-ac-061426-5schung\"\u003eAncient Five Stripe Cho Dzi\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\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-five-stripe-cho-dzi-ac-061426-5schung\"\u003eAncient Five Stripe Cho Dzi 措思天珠 — Ac-061426-5SChung\u003c\/a\u003e — Pale translucent ground, Cho technique, mirror gloss, 700–1,000 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\/antique-nine-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-at-110223-9sbs\"\u003eAntique Nine Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots — At-110223-9SBS\u003c\/a\u003e — Pitch-black ground, cinnabar bloodspots, 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\/antique-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-at-061920-7schung\"\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\/antique-single-stripe-chung-dzi-at-020726-chung\"\u003eAntique Single Stripe Chung Dzi — At-020726-Chung\u003c\/a\u003e — Natural bicolour agate, no etching, fusiform, ~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\"\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":"","price":1500.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0979\/7198\/files\/20220706_170116.jpg?v=1781464313","url":"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-five-stripe-chung-dzi-terracotta-at-070622-5schung","provider":"Ancient Dzi Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}