{"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\n\u003cp\u003eLearn more about the meaning of the stripe, how to choose a chung dzi, and how to recognize an ancient one in our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/chung-dzi-meaning-striped-dzi-guide\"\u003ecomplete guide to chung dzi\u003c\/a\u003e.\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\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost striped dzi in this collection have 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\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\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 most 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\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 alkaline 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\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\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\u003eAmong the Chung dzi in this collection it stands apart: where most carry a dark body with lighter bands, this bead carries pitch-black bands on a pale, translucent milky ground.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\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\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 alkaline 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\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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 href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/original-ancient-dzi\"\u003eAncient Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/chung-dzi\"\u003eChung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Striped \u0026amp; Banded Dzi Beads\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOther authentic striped beads across the Chung dzi tradition, including ancient examples with contrasting etching approaches and material qualities:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAncient\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\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 (Ac-101922-7SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — $2,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-dark-brown-agate-scratches-ac-080620-7schung\"\u003eSeven Stripe Chung Dzi, 48.2 × 12.4mm, warm dark brown agate, scratch marks disclosed (Ac-080620-7SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — $5,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca 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, medicine-chipped ends (Ac-061526-1SBW)\u003c\/a\u003e — $8,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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, over 1,500 years (Ac-080420-19SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — $4,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAntique\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\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 (At-070622-5SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — $1,500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 (At-110223-9SBS)\u003c\/a\u003e — $1,700.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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, 38.1×11.5×8.9mm, tricolour natural agate (At-061526-1SBow)\u003c\/a\u003e — $700.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/chung-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-natural-bicolour-agate-at-020726-chung\"\u003eSingle Stripe Chung Dzi 措思天珠, 38.2 × 11.5mm, ivory-cream and dark grey-brown (At-020726-Chung)\u003c\/a\u003e — $4,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 — $1,500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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, 107.1×19.0×14.3mm, pitch-black banded agate (At-N-071126-BOW)\u003c\/a\u003e — $3,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/chung-dzi-meaning-striped-dzi-guide\"\u003eChung Dzi: The Complete Guide to Striped Dzi Beads\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\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFive pitch-black bands in a stone that reads like frosted glass — the same stripe tradition, carried in translucent milky agate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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\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\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe never retouch our photos.\u003c\/strong\u003e What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSeven stripes on a ground this dark take a thousand years to read the way they do in these photographs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\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 etched bands develop on agate of this age as the etching mellows and mineralises 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 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\n\u003cp\u003eThe seven stripe bands are distributed around the full circumference of the bead, with three to four visible from any single viewing angle and the rest wrapping to the reverse. Three face views confirm the composition. 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 where the agate's mineral composition shifts. Face C (Image 1) 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 gives the bead depth as it turns.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe surface tells the age story without needing interpretation. The ground between the stripes carries mixed gloss and matte surfaces: the original polish survives on the hardest zones of the stone, while softer areas have weathered to a matte, micro-pitted finish over the centuries. This differential surface, part reflective and part absorbed, is visible in the light catch in Images 2 and 3, and it 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 edges of etching that has been in the stone for a very long time. They are not the sharp, crisp edges of recent work but softened and ingrained, part of the surface rather than sitting on top of it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe body is an elongated, acutely tapered fusiform, more sharply pointed at both ends than most dzi, giving the bead a lean, assertive profile that reads as ancient in proportion. Both drill holes 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 4) is cleaner, with normal age weathering at the collar. Both passages are functional.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA Chung dzi of this age, with this depth of surface history, is not a common encounter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Seven Stripe Chung Dzi (七條瓊珠 \/ Qī Tiáo Qióng Zhū)\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Chung dzi (瓊珠) is the striped category of the dzi tradition, a bead defined by its band composition rather than eyes. The \"Chung\" in Chung dzi is a Tibetan word meaning crystal, the old Tibetan name for agate and chalcedony. It does not mean \"lesser.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe stripe is the continuous line that does not end: the path that persists through every obstacle, and success that builds without interruption. Chung dzi are traditionally prized for protection and steady prosperity. The meaning comes from the stripe itself, not from the number of stripes, so a seven stripe bead is no more powerful than a single stripe one. Choose the Chung dzi whose look feels balanced and pleasing to you. If a bead feels too busy or too plain to your eye, it is not the right bead for you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRead more in our complete guide: \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/chung-dzi-meaning-striped-dzi-guide\"\u003eChung Dzi: The Complete Guide to Striped Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Seven Stripe Chung Dzi (七條瓊珠 \/ Qī Tiáo Qióng Zhū); seven etched stripe bands around the full circumference; golden-tan to warm sandy-brown bands on near-pitch-black agate\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 49.4mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 11.9mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Elongated, acutely tapered fusiform; sharply pointed ends; widest at centre\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural agate, near-pitch-black to deep warm dark brown ground (tonal variation across faces); mixed gloss and matte weathered surface consistent with extreme age\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAge estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1,000–1,500 years\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Differential surface weathering across ground zones (natural, age-consistent); enlarged irregular drill collar at right end from ancient hand-drilling (Image 5); surface micro-pitting consistent with age; no structural cracks; no rework; no medicine digs\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None observed\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ac-081020-7SChung\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCollections:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/original-ancient-dzi\"\u003eOriginal Ancient Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/chung-dzi\"\u003eChung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eYou may also like\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-grey-black-ac-101922-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, cool grey-black\u003c\/a\u003e: silvery grey-white stripes on a cool grey-black ground, 39.3×13.9mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\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\u003c\/a\u003e: warm translucent ground, 49.1×12.8mm, tip damage disclosed\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\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 措思天珠\u003c\/a\u003e: pitch-black bands on milky translucent grey-white, 57.5×13.1mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\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\u003c\/a\u003e: over 1,500 years, heavily weathered, 46.4×11.8mm and 46.9×11.6mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\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: wide pitch-black stripes on warm terracotta agate, 48.2×13.1mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eFrom the blog\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/chung-dzi-meaning-striped-dzi-guide\"\u003eChung Dzi: The Complete Guide to Striped Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e: what \"chung\" means, the meaning of the stripe, and how to recognise an ancient one\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/real-vs-fake-dzi-beads-the-definitive-collectors-guide-to-authentic-tibetan-dzi\"\u003eHow to Tell Real vs. Fake Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e: reading surface weathering, drill holes, and other age markers\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/how-to-wear-care-dzi-bead\"\u003eHow to Wear and Care for a Dzi Bead\u003c\/a\u003e: welcoming, wearing, and caring for an ancient dzi\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\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\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe never retouch our photos.\u003c\/strong\u003e Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n","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\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCondition note: this bead has damage at both pointed tips — a more significant break at the right tip and moderate damage at the left. Both are shown in Images 3, 6 and 7. Please review all photos before purchasing.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat sets this seven stripe Chung dzi apart is its ground — and here the ground is warm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCompared with the near-black, opaque body of our seven stripe Ac-081020-7SChung, this agate is a warm honey-brown to grey-brown and semi-translucent. Toward the ends (Images 4 and 7) the stone glows from within, letting light through rather than absorbing it. The result reads warmer, lighter and more open — the same tradition in a very different stone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe seven stripes are sandy-tan to sandy-grey with a granular texture. Between them the body has been darkened to near-black, creating the classic Chung contrast of light stripes on dark bands, while the natural agate at the ends is the warmest and lightest tone of all. The shift from honey-brown tip to dark band to sandy stripe gives the bead a layered, tonal quality all its own.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFaces A and C (Images 2 and 4) read warmest; Face D (Image 5) is slightly cooler and greyer. All four faces show the same seven stripe composition.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe surface mixes surviving original polish on the harder areas with a matte, textured patina on the softer ones. A natural surface dig is visible in the lower part of Face A (Image 2); it is not structural.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTip damage in detail:\u003c\/strong\u003e the right tip (Images 3 and 6) is missing material at the point, with rough interior agate exposed; the drill hole there is intact and usable. The left tip (Image 7) has moderate damage with an irregular edge; its drill hole is clearly visible, with a warm reddish-orange interior. Neither affects the body, the stripes or either drill passage, and both breaks are old and smoothly worn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Seven Stripe Chung Dzi\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Chung dzi (瓊珠) is the striped family of the dzi tradition, defined by horizontal bands on natural agate. The stripe is the line that does not end — the path that holds its direction — here wrapped seven times around the bead. With Chung dzi, more stripes do not make a bead more powerful; the right bead is simply the one whose look speaks to its owner. Learn more in our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/chung-dzi-meaning-striped-dzi-guide\"\u003eChung dzi guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Seven stripe Chung (七條瓊珠); sandy-tan to sandy-grey stripes with darkened bands between\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 49.1mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 12.8mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Elongated fusiform, widest at the centre; both pointed tips damaged\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural agate, warm honey-brown to grey-brown and semi-translucent\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAge:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ancient, estimated 1,000–1,500 years\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Significant old break at the right tip and moderate damage at the left tip, both drill holes intact (Images 3, 6, 7); natural surface dig on Face A (Image 2); no body cracks or medicine digs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None observed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ac-041320-7SChung\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/original-ancient-dzi\"\u003eAncient Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/chung-dzi\"\u003eChung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eYou May Also Like\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\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, Near-Black (Ac-081020-7SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 (Ac-080620-7SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-grey-black-ac-101922-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, Grey-Black (Ac-101922-7SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 (Ac-061426-5SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca 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\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-five-stripe-chung-dzi-terracotta-at-070622-5schung\"\u003eAntique Five Stripe Chung Dzi, Terracotta (At-070622-5SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/vintage-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-dark-brown-v-052222-7schung\"\u003eVintage Seven Stripe Chung Dzi (V-052222-7SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFurther Reading\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/chung-dzi-meaning-striped-dzi-guide\"\u003eChung Dzi Meaning: The Striped Dzi Guide\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/real-vs-fake-dzi-beads-the-definitive-collectors-guide-to-authentic-tibetan-dzi\"\u003eReal vs Fake Dzi Beads: The Collector's Guide\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeven stripes on a stone that lets the light through — the same ancient tradition, in a completely different stone.\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\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe never retouch our photos.\u003c\/strong\u003e What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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\u003cp\u003eThis is one of several 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\u003eTwo fine scratch marks run across opposite sides of this bead, each crossing the dark body between the stripe bands. Images 2 and 3 show each scratch in the full face views; Images 4 and 7 show them at close range. Both are surface contact marks, fine and white, running at slight diagonals across the dark ground. At macro resolution (Image 4) the etching is clearly intact on either side of each scratch, and the body surface continues uninterrupted beyond the scratch line. Neither mark is a crack, 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\u003eThe rest of this bead's surface tells the same thousand-year story as its companion seven stripe Chung dzi, in a ground colour that sits between them. The \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-agate-near-pitch-black-ac-081020-7schung\"\u003enear pitch-black seven stripe\u003c\/a\u003e has a near-black body, and the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-warm-honey-brown-agate-ac-041320-7schung\"\u003ewarm honey-brown seven stripe\u003c\/a\u003e has a semi-translucent ground. This bead sits in the middle: a warm dark brown to grey-brown, opaque and warm. The left end cap (Image 9) deepens to near pitch-black, distinctly darker than the body, while the right end cap (Image 8) is warmer and lighter. This end-to-end tonal variation is natural to the agate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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 remarkable: the stripe bands show a heavily mineralised, deeply granular surface, the rough, pitted texture of etching that has been in the stone for a very long time. The dark zones between the stripes are smooth and high-gloss where the original polish survives, with micro-pitting where the surface has weathered over the centuries. That combination of polished dark zones and rough stripe bands is characteristic of an ancient Chung dzi.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoth tips are intact (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\u003ch3\u003eThe Seven Stripe Chung Dzi (七條瓊珠 \/ Qī Tiáo Qióng Zhū)\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Chung dzi (瓊珠) is the striped category of the dzi tradition, a bead defined by its band composition rather than eyes. The continuous line carries the meaning of unbroken success, persistent forward movement, and the path that holds its direction. In the Chung tradition more stripes does not mean more potency; what matters is that the bead is aesthetically pleasing to the one who wears it. At 1,000–1,500 years, the scratch marks on this bead are part of its history: marks left by a thousand years of handling, wearing, storing, and passing between hands. Read more in \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/chung-dzi-meaning-striped-dzi-guide\"\u003eChung Dzi: The Complete Guide to Striped Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Seven Stripe Chung Dzi (七條瓊珠); seven etched stripe bands in sandy-tan to sandy-grey; warm dark brown to grey-brown agate ground; near pitch-black darkening at the left end cap\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 48.2mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 12.4mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Elongated fusiform; intact tips at both ends; slightly asymmetric taper; widest at centre\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural agate; mixed gloss and matte-weathered surface consistent with great age\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAge estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ancient, 1,000–1,500 years\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e ⚠️ Two fine surface scratch marks on opposite sides, surface marks only, not cracks, fully shown in Images 2, 3, 4 and 7. Both tips intact. No structural cracks. No rework. No medicine digs. Both drill holes clean.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None observed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ac-080620-7SChung\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCollections:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/original-ancient-dzi\"\u003eOriginal Ancient Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/chung-dzi\"\u003eChung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eYou may also like\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-grey-black-ac-101922-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, cool grey-black ground\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-odd-form-ac-111720-7sos\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots, flattened form\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/chung-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-natural-bicolour-agate-at-020726-chung\"\u003eSingle Stripe Chung Dzi 措思天珠, ivory-cream and dark grey-brown\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\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\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFrom the blog\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/chung-dzi-meaning-striped-dzi-guide\"\u003eChung Dzi: The Complete Guide to Striped Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/real-vs-fake-dzi-beads-the-definitive-collectors-guide-to-authentic-tibetan-dzi\"\u003eHow to Tell Real vs. Fake Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/how-to-wear-care-dzi-bead\"\u003eHow to Wear and Care for a Dzi Bead\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\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\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe never retouch our photos.\u003c\/strong\u003e Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\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\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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\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 is consistent with very long burial and considerable age, 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\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 unusual 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\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\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 most 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\u003ePairs of ancient Chung dzi are rare. 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 among the oldest Chung dzi in the collection, sold as an inseparable pair.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe Nineteen Stripe Motif — 瓊珠十九線紋\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\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 and rhythm of the composition itself — nineteen continuous circuits around each bead, giving the surface an unusually dense, ribbed character. More stripes do not make a Chung dzi more powerful; as with any dzi, the right bead is the one that speaks to the person who wears it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Nineteen stripe (十九線紋); nineteen narrow alkaline-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 alkaline-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 href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/chung-dzi\"\u003eAncient Chung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/original-ancient-dzi\"\u003eAncient Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou may also like:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-agate-near-pitch-black-ac-081020-7schung\"\u003eSeven 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\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-warm-honey-brown-agate-ac-041320-7schung\"\u003eSeven Stripe Chung Dzi, 49.1 × 12.8mm, warm honey-brown agate, tip damage disclosed (Ac-041320-7SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — $5,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-dark-brown-agate-scratches-ac-080620-7schung\"\u003eSeven Stripe Chung Dzi, 48.2 × 12.4mm, warm dark brown agate, scratch marks disclosed (Ac-080620-7SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — $5,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 (At-110223-9SBS)\u003c\/a\u003e — $1,700.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/chung-dzi-meaning-striped-dzi-guide\"\u003eChung Dzi Meaning: A Guide to Striped Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/real-vs-fake-dzi-beads-the-definitive-collectors-guide-to-authentic-tibetan-dzi\"\u003eHow to Tell Real vs. Fake Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNineteen unbroken lines. Over fifteen hundred years. Two beads that have kept count of every one.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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\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\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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\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\u003eThat calcification zone — the \"single stripe\" — is not an alkaline-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 unusual in the collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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\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\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe Single Stripe Motif — 瓊珠一線紋\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\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\u003e\n\u003cp\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 alkaline-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 href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/chung-dzi\"\u003eAncient Chung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/original-ancient-dzi\"\u003eAncient Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou may also like:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-natural-patina-agate-dzi-cylinder-at-030420-1snp\"\u003eAntique Natural Agate Dzi with Calcification Patina, 30.9×9.9mm, warm tobacco-brown cylinder (At-030420-1SNP)\u003c\/a\u003e — $1,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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, over 1,500 years (Ac-080420-19SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — $4,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/chung-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-natural-bicolour-agate-at-020726-chung\"\u003eSingle Stripe Chung Dzi 措思天珠, 38.2 × 11.5mm, ivory-cream and dark grey-brown (At-020726-Chung)\u003c\/a\u003e — $4,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-single-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-pitch-black-white-ac-061426-1schungbs\"\u003eSingle Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots, 31.4 × 9.6mm, pitch-black and white, calcified end (Ac-061426-1SChungBS)\u003c\/a\u003e — $18,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/chung-dzi-meaning-striped-dzi-guide\"\u003eChung Dzi Meaning: A Guide to Striped Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/real-vs-fake-dzi-beads-the-definitive-collectors-guide-to-authentic-tibetan-dzi\"\u003eHow to Tell Real vs. Fake Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne stripe. Two stones. Six hundred years of the earth deciding where it settles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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\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\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis bead works in three tones only — grey, black and white — and the way they are balanced is what sets it apart.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ground is a deep, cool grey-black, close to pitch-black in the centre and along the upper ridge, softening to a translucent cool grey toward the ends where the underlying agate shows through. Across it run seven narrow, silvery grey-white stripes. They are not bright white but a cooler, muted tone, with rough, granular edges from long weathering. Cool dark field, narrow silvery lines, textured edges: an austere, precise palette with no warm tones at all.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe form matches that character. At 39.3mm × 13.9mm this is one of the shortest, widest fusiform Chung dzi in the collection, and the seven stripes read as compact and dense on its short body.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe dark ground carries natural pale spotting — small light mineral inclusions within the agate, visible throughout the side photographs. They are not bloodspots (there is none of cinnabar's reddish colour) and not damage, simply the stone's own internal variation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBoth ends show translucent cool grey agate, lighter than the darkened body. The drill holes are small and centred. A small ink marking from a previous seller is visible near the right end in Image 5.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur other seven stripe Chung dzi are longer and warmer: the ancient \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-agate-near-pitch-black-ac-081020-7schung\"\u003eAc-081020-7SChung\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca 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\"\u003eAc-080620-7SChung\u003c\/a\u003e carry sandy-tan to sandy-grey stripes; the antique \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-honey-brown-agate-at-061920-7schung\"\u003eAt-061920-7SChung\u003c\/a\u003e has a honey-brown ground; and the vintage \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/vintage-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-dark-brown-v-052222-7schung\"\u003eV-052222-7SChung\u003c\/a\u003e has cream stripes on chocolate-brown. This one alone combines a strict grey-black-white palette, a short, wide body and natural pale spotting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Seven Stripe Chung Dzi\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSeven is a meaningful number in Tibetan Buddhism — the seven offering bowls on the altar, the seven steps of the newborn Buddha, the seven-branch prayer. A seven stripe Chung dzi (七線天珠) carries seven unbroken circuits around its body, a symbol of continuity and protection. With Chung dzi, more stripes do not mean a more powerful bead; the best choice is simply the one whose look speaks to you. Learn more in our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/chung-dzi-meaning-striped-dzi-guide\"\u003eChung dzi guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Seven stripe Chung (七線); seven narrow silvery grey-white bands with rough, textured edges\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 39.3mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 13.9mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Short, wide fusiform with small centred drill holes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural agate, cool grey-black to near-black, translucent grey at the ends; natural pale mineral spotting; glossy\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAge:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ancient, estimated 500–700 years\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural pale mineral spotting across the dark ground; small ink marking near one end (Image 5); no chips, cracks or medicine digs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None (the pale spots are natural mineral inclusions, not cinnabar)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ac-101922-7SChung\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/chung-dzi\"\u003eChung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/original-ancient-dzi\"\u003eAncient Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eYou May Also Like\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\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, Near-Black (Ac-081020-7SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 (Ac-061426-5SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-single-stripe-chung-dzi-heibai-belly-ac-061526-1sbw\"\u003eAncient Single Stripe Chung Dzi, Belly Form (Ac-061526-1SBW)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-nineteen-stripe-chung-dzi-pair-ac-080420-19schung\"\u003ePair of Ancient Nineteen Stripe Chung Dzi (Ac-080420-19SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-five-stripe-chung-dzi-terracotta-at-070622-5schung\"\u003eAntique Five Stripe Chung Dzi, Terracotta (At-070622-5SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca 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\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 (At-061526-1SBow)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFurther Reading\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/chung-dzi-meaning-striped-dzi-guide\"\u003eChung Dzi Meaning: The Striped Dzi Guide\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/where-do-dzi-beads-come-from-origin-history-mystery\"\u003eWhere Do Dzi Beads Come From?\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrey, black and white. Five centuries. Nothing else.\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\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe never retouch our photos.\u003c\/strong\u003e What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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\u003eIn most striped Chung dzi the ground dominates and the stripes punctuate it. Here the five pitch-black etched bands are wide enough that the warm terracotta reddish-brown ground between them reads as the narrower element, a series of compressed intervals between broad black registers. The visual weight sits in the stripes, not the field. From a distance the bead reads as predominantly dark, revealing its warm ground only as you bring it closer or as the light catches the semi-gloss reddish-brown zones.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ground is a warm terracotta reddish-brown natural agate, not the vivid orange-red of ancient carnelian and not a dark chocolate-brown, but distinctly warm and earthy, with natural colour variation across the surface: the left tip is slightly more saturated terracotta-red (Image 6), while the central body is a more muted reddish-brown. Fine natural speckle and age-consistent micro-pitting are visible across the ground up close; the surface is semi-gloss to satin, not the mirror gloss of a younger piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe five black stripes are consistent in their deep pitch-black colour. The three central stripes are marginally wider than the outer bands, but the overall impression is of broad, assertive horizontal registers. The stripes carry slightly more gloss than the ground. None has faded; all five read cleanly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe body is an elongated fusiform with an asymmetric taper. The right end is blunter and more rounded, with a small central 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 (Image 6). This asymmetry is visible in all four side photographs and is natural to how the bead was shaped from the stone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCompare the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-five-stripe-cho-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-pale-cream-ac-061426-5schung\"\u003eAncient Five Stripe Cho Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e, a 700–1,000 year old bead with a milky semi-translucent pale grey-white ground and dark stripes on a light field, and the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-nine-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-at-110223-9sbs\"\u003eAntique Nine Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots\u003c\/a\u003e, with nine stripes on a pitch-black ground. Each has a completely different character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Five Stripe Chung Dzi (瓊珠五線紋)\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe stripe of a Chung dzi is the continuous line that does not end, associated with protection, steady prosperity, and success that builds without interruption. Five is a meaningful number in Tibetan tradition: the four directions and the centre, the five Buddha families, the five elements. But the meaning of a Chung dzi comes from the stripe itself, not the number of stripes; a five stripe bead is no more powerful than a single stripe one. Choose the Chung dzi whose look feels balanced and pleasing to you. Read more in \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/chung-dzi-meaning-striped-dzi-guide\"\u003eChung Dzi: The Complete Guide to Striped Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Five stripe Chung (五線紋); five pitch-black etched bands, wider than the ground intervals between them\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 48.2mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 13.1mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Elongated fusiform; asymmetric taper; small central drill holes at both tips\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural warm terracotta reddish-brown agate with natural colour variation and fine speckle; semi-gloss to satin finish\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAge estimate:\u003c\/strong\u003e Antique, 300–500 years\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Age-consistent surface micro-pitting across the ground (disclosed); no chips; no cracks; no medicine digs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e At-070622-5SChung\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCollections:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/chung-dzi\"\u003eChung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/authentic-antique-dzi\"\u003eAntique Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMore Chung Dzi\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-nine-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-at-110223-9sbs\"\u003eAntique Nine Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 措思天珠\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-grey-black-ac-101922-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, cool grey-black\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/vintage-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-dark-brown-v-052222-7schung\"\u003eVintage Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, warm chocolate-brown\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/new-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-black-white-taiwan-n-050222-7schung\"\u003eNew Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, black and white, Taiwan\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFive stripes. The black takes more space than the brown, and that is exactly the point.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e📷 \u003cstrong\u003eWe never retouch our photos.\u003c\/strong\u003e Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\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\u003e✦ All photographs are unretouched. ✦\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ground on these beads is not dark — and that reversal changes everything about how the stripes read.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost Chung dzi in this collection have 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\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\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. These cracklines do not compromise structural integrity: 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\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\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\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Nine Stripe Chung Dzi Motif\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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 is among the most auspicious numbers in both Tibetan and Chinese symbolic tradition — associated with completion and the fullest expression of heaven's number. The stripe itself carries the meaning: success running from one end of the bead to the other without interruption, as the stripes themselves do. More stripes do not make a bead more powerful; choose the Chung dzi whose look feels balanced and pleasing to you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpec Block\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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. 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 href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/original-ancient-dzi\"\u003eAncient Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/chung-dzi\"\u003eChung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/pairs-sets\"\u003ePairs \u0026amp; Sets\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor the antique nine-stripe Chung dzi pair in this collection, see \u003ca 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, 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\"\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\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\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/chung-dzi-meaning-striped-dzi-guide\"\u003eChung Dzi: The Complete Guide to Striped Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/where-do-dzi-beads-come-from-origin-history-mystery\"\u003eWhere Do Dzi Beads Come From?\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/dzi-motifs-and-their-interpretations-other-motifs\"\u003eDzi Bead Motifs and Their Meanings\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNine stripes, two beads, five centuries — and a pale ground that few Chung dzi share.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✦ All photographs are unretouched. ✦\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePhotos:\u003c\/strong\u003e Unretouched product images. All photos taken by Ancient Dzi Shop.\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\u003e✦ All photographs are unretouched. ✦\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\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\u003eThe stripe count on a Chung dzi works differently from what 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\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\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. Both drill holes are small and clean, visible at the tapered ends in Images 2–5.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Nine Stripe Chung Dzi Motif\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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. Nine is among the most auspicious numbers in both Tibetan and Chinese symbolic tradition — associated with completion and the fullest expression of heaven's number. The stripe itself carries the meaning: success running from one end of the bead to the other without interruption, as the stripes themselves do. More stripes do not make a bead more powerful; choose the Chung dzi whose look feels balanced and pleasing to you.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpec Block\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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. 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 href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/authentic-antique-dzi\"\u003eAntique Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/chung-dzi\"\u003eChung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/pairs-sets\"\u003ePairs \u0026amp; Sets\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\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, 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\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\u003c\/a\u003e. For the antique seven-stripe, see \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-honey-brown-agate-at-061920-7schung\"\u003eAntique Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, honey-brown\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. Its ancient counterpart in this series is the cream-ground pair \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-nine-stripe-chung-dzi-bead-pair-ac-062626-9schung2\"\u003eAc-062626-9SChung2\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/chung-dzi-meaning-striped-dzi-guide\"\u003eChung Dzi: The Complete Guide to Striped Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/where-do-dzi-beads-come-from-origin-history-mystery\"\u003eWhere Do Dzi Beads Come From?\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/dzi-motifs-and-their-interpretations-other-motifs\"\u003eDzi Bead Motifs and Their Meanings\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNine stripes, two beads, one motif — and not one line stops before it reaches the end.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e✦ All photographs are unretouched. ✦\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePhotos:\u003c\/strong\u003e Unretouched product images. All photos taken by Ancient Dzi Shop.\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\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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\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\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\u003eThe body form stands out 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, the natural colour of the agate in the interior zone. Off-centre drill holes of this type are consistent with antique hand-drilling technique and are a characteristic of the piece rather than a flaw.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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\u003eFew beads in the collection carry 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 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 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 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 alkaline-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\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eThe Natural Patina — A Note on Calcification\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\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: a sign 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. 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\u003e\n\u003cp\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 alkaline 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\/collections\/authentic-antique-dzi\"\u003eAntique Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/natural-agate-dzi\"\u003eNatural Agate Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou may also like:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/chung-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-natural-bicolour-agate-at-020726-chung\"\u003eSingle Stripe Chung Dzi 措思天珠, 38.2 × 11.5mm, ivory-cream and dark grey-brown (At-020726-Chung)\u003c\/a\u003e — $4,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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, 38.1×11.5×8.9mm, tricolour natural agate (At-061526-1SBow)\u003c\/a\u003e — $700.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 (At-110223-9SBS)\u003c\/a\u003e — $1,700.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-single-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-pitch-black-white-ac-061426-1schungbs\"\u003eSingle Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots, 31.4 × 9.6mm, pitch-black and white, calcified end (Ac-061426-1SChungBS)\u003c\/a\u003e — $18,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/chung-dzi-meaning-striped-dzi-guide\"\u003eChung Dzi Meaning: A Guide to Striped Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/real-vs-fake-dzi-beads-the-definitive-collectors-guide-to-authentic-tibetan-dzi\"\u003eHow to Tell Real vs. Fake Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe stripe is what the earth wrote. The bead carried it forward.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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\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\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe two ends of this bead have lived different lives, and the photographs show exactly what that means.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe left end cap is bright white, smooth, polished and intact — the original surface preserved. The right end tells the opposite story: a deep mosaic of calcification, raised cream-white mineral deposits cracked into a tortoiseshell network across the whole right face and end cap. Both ends are shown fully (Images 2–4 and 9–10). One end preserved, one transformed by time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithin the calcified zone, the close-ups (Images 2 and 3) show small reddish-brown dots near the boundary with the dark body. These are natural cinnabar (朱砂) bloodspot inclusions within the agate — several clearly visible as distinct vermilion to reddish-brown spots. The calcification has partly framed them, making them easier to see than they would be on an unweathered surface. Bloodspots are a natural feature of the stone and add to its appeal, though they are not in themselves proof of age. See our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/bloodspots\"\u003ebloodspots guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe central body is a deep, saturated pitch-black with no brown undertone (Images 5–8), high-gloss and polished all the way around. The single stripe Chung design reads as one long dark band across most of the bead, between the white left cap and the calcified right cap. On the left the white fades softly into black (Image 7); on the right the calcification blurs the boundary.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe form is a short, wide barrel rather than a tapered spindle: near-parallel sides, flat end faces and an even round cross-section. At 31.4mm × 9.6mm it is compact and dense in the hand — a distinctive ancient form.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe right drill hole sits within the calcification (Image 4) but remains centred and usable. The left drill hole (Image 10) shows a warm yellowish-tan interior.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Single Stripe Chung Dzi\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Chung dzi (瓊珠) is the striped family of the dzi tradition, where a dark body against white ends creates the stripe. One dark band between two white ends is the simplest Chung form: a single, undivided statement. The single stripe stands for the unbroken line — success that does not pause and a path that holds its direction. With Chung dzi, the number of stripes is a matter of character, not strength; the right bead is the one that pleases its owner. The calcification here is not damage but the surface record of the bead's long history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Single stripe Chung (一條瓊珠); pitch-black central band between a white left cap and a calcified right cap\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 31.4mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 9.6mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Short, wide barrel with flat end faces\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural agate; pitch-black body, bright white left cap, heavily calcified right cap\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAge:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ancient, estimated 1,500–2,000 years\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Extensive mosaic calcification on the right end (Images 2, 3, 4, 9); right drill hole intact; minor surface mark on the left cap near the hole (Image 8); no cracks or medicine digs; body and left cap intact\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes — Light; distinct reddish-brown cinnabar dots within the right cap area (Images 2 and 3)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ac-061426-1SChungBS\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/original-ancient-dzi\"\u003eAncient Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/chung-dzi\"\u003eChung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/bloodspot-dzi\"\u003eBloodspot Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eYou May Also Like\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/chung-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-natural-bicolour-agate-at-020726-chung\"\u003eAntique Single Stripe Chung Dzi, Natural Bicolour Agate (At-020726-Chung)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-single-stripe-chung-dzi-heibai-belly-ac-061526-1sbw\"\u003eAncient Single Stripe Chung Dzi, Belly Form (Ac-061526-1SBW)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 (Ac-080620-7SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-grey-black-ac-101922-7schung\"\u003eAncient Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, Grey-Black (Ac-101922-7SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-wave-stripe-dzi-bead-at-053126-ws2\"\u003eAntique Wave Stripe Dzi Bead (At-053126-WS2)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFurther Reading\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/chung-dzi-meaning-striped-dzi-guide\"\u003eChung Dzi Meaning: The Striped Dzi Guide\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/real-vs-fake-dzi-beads-the-definitive-collectors-guide-to-authentic-tibetan-dzi\"\u003eReal vs Fake Dzi Beads: The Collector's Guide\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne stripe. One end preserved, one end transformed by time. Both photographed exactly as they are.\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-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\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe stripe on this bead does not sit between two matching ends. The stone chose three entirely different colours, and the bow-shaped body moves through all of them at once.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAcross the centre runs a single band of deep charcoal-grey agate — not pitch-black, but a dense, cool dark grey that reads almost architectural. To its left the agate turns a cool, translucent grey-white, milky and near-glassy in strong light. To its right it shifts to a warm peach-orange with soft brown inclusion pockets, organic and uneven — the record of how the stone formed long before it became a bead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe shape sets it apart from other single stripe Chung dzi. It is neither spindle nor barrel but bow-shaped: the upper edge curves outward in a gentle arc while the lower edge runs comparatively flat, so the bead seems to lean in one direction. At 8.9mm across its narrower axis, it is also slightly flattened rather than round in cross-section.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe body has a high-gloss polish, catching long highlights across the grey-white and peach-orange areas (Images 2 and 4). The end (Image 7) is a little more satin, from different wear at the tip. The dark band shows fine surface scoring from long handling. Two small pinholes are visible on the body (Images 5 and 7). No chips, cracks or medicine digs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe dark stripe is natural: a colour band in the agate itself, with no etching applied. This places it alongside our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/chung-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-natural-bicolour-agate-at-020726-chung\"\u003eSingle Stripe Chung Dzi in Natural Bicolour Agate (At-020726-Chung)\u003c\/a\u003e, which is a short, wide spindle with a soft ivory-to-dark gradient and estimated at around 500 years. This bead, estimated at 200–300 years, has a sharper three-colour composition and its distinctive bow shape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Single Stripe Chung Dzi\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe single stripe Chung dzi (一線瓊珠) is one of the most direct expressions in the Tibetan bead tradition. One band circling the body marks an unbroken boundary — above and below, earth and sky. It is associated with continuous success and unbroken flow, and has long been favoured by traders and businesspeople for the continuity of fortune. Here the stripe is the dark centre flanked by light, reversing the usual reading and giving the bead a quiet, contemplative feel. With Chung dzi, more stripes do not mean more power; the right bead is the one that pleases you. Learn more in our \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/chung-dzi-meaning-striped-dzi-guide\"\u003eChung dzi guide\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Single stripe (一線); natural charcoal-grey band between translucent grey-white and warm peach-orange zones\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLength:\u003c\/strong\u003e 38.1mm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDiameter:\u003c\/strong\u003e 11.5mm (max); 8.9mm (narrow axis)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eForm:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bow-shaped, with a convex upper edge, flatter lower edge and slightly flattened cross-section\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMaterial:\u003c\/strong\u003e Natural three-colour agate, no etching\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAge:\u003c\/strong\u003e Antique, estimated 200–300 years\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCondition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Fine surface scoring on the dark band; two small pinholes (Images 5 and 7); no chips, cracks or medicine digs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBloodspots:\u003c\/strong\u003e None\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProduct ID:\u003c\/strong\u003e At-061526-1SBow\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCollection:\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/authentic-antique-dzi\"\u003eAntique Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/chung-dzi\"\u003eChung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/natural-agate-dzi\"\u003eNatural Agate Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eYou May Also Like\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/chung-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-natural-bicolour-agate-at-020726-chung\"\u003eSingle Stripe Chung Dzi, Natural Bicolour Agate (At-020726-Chung)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\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 (Ac-061426-1SChungBS)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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, Honey-Brown (Ac-041320-7SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-five-stripe-chung-dzi-terracotta-at-070622-5schung\"\u003eAntique Five Stripe Chung Dzi, Terracotta (At-070622-5SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFurther Reading\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/chung-dzi-meaning-striped-dzi-guide\"\u003eChung Dzi Meaning: The Striped Dzi Guide\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/natural-dzi-beads-when-the-stone-writes-its-own-story\"\u003eNatural Dzi Beads: When the Stone Writes Its Own Story\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne stripe. Three colours. One body that bends.\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\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe ground of this bead is not one colour — and that changes everything about how the motif reads.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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 alkaline-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\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\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\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\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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Tiger Tooth \u0026amp; Stripe (虎牙條紋 \/ Hǔyá Tiáowén) Motif\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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 alkaline-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\/collections\/authentic-antique-dzi\"\u003eAntique Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/carnelian-dzi-pema-raka-dzi\"\u003eCarnelian Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Tiger Tooth \u0026amp; Stripe Motifs\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAntique\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/three-eye-tiger-stripe-carnelian-dzi-chocolate-brown-at-071322-3ett\"\u003eThree Eye \u0026amp; Tiger Stripe Carnelian Dzi, 52.4 × 15.1mm, dark chocolate-brown (At-071322-3ETT)\u003c\/a\u003e — $1,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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\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 — $3,500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-six-tiger-stripe-carnelian-dzi-at-070822-6ts\"\u003eAntique Six Tiger Stripe Carnelian Dzi, 50.7mm × 12.9mm, chocolate-brown with bicolour end caps (At-070822-6TS)\u003c\/a\u003e — $1,500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 — $3,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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, diamond-framed eyes, honey-gold motif, 57.9mm × 12.9mm (At-053126-6ETT)\u003c\/a\u003e — $3,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNew \u0026amp; Vintage\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eContemporary and 1980s Taiwan examples that explore tiger tooth themes without etching density or historical ground complexity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\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\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, 49.1mm × 12.3mm, cinnabar-saturated sandy-peach field (V-061026-6ETTBS)\u003c\/a\u003e — $600.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/vintage-round-tiger-tooth-motif-dzi-bead-r-tt-1\"\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\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/carnelian-dzi-beads-pema-raka-guide\"\u003eCarnelian Dzi Beads: The Pema Raka Guide\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/dzi-motifs-and-their-interpretations-other-motifs\"\u003eDzi Bead Motifs and Their Meanings\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFive rows of teeth. Six dividing stripes. One stone that decided to be three colours at once.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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\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\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\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\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\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 alkaline etching: uneven boundaries, slight pitting along the stripe margins, and a surface quality characteristic of hand-etched antique work. 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\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\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\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Stripe (條紋 \/ Tiáowén) Motif\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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 alkaline-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\/collections\/authentic-antique-dzi\"\u003eAntique Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/chung-dzi\"\u003eChung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/carnelian-dzi-pema-raka-dzi\"\u003eCarnelian Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou may also like\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf this bead speaks to you, you may want to explore related pieces in the collection:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-six-tiger-stripe-carnelian-dzi-at-070822-6ts\"\u003eAntique Six Tiger Stripe Carnelian Dzi, 50.7mm × 12.9mm, chocolate-brown with bicolour end caps (At-070822-6TS)\u003c\/a\u003e — $1,500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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, 25.2mm × 11.0mm, honey-gold chevrons on chocolate-brown, reworked (At-030823-5TSR)\u003c\/a\u003e — $700.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 Bead with Calcification, 28.6mm × 12.9mm, chocolate-brown, heavy calcification (Ac-030823-5TS2)\u003c\/a\u003e — $1,400.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-carnelian-dzi-diamond-eye-wave-tiger-tooth-ac-030623-ddie\"\u003eAncient Double Diamond Eye-In-Eye Carnelian Dzi, 21.9×15.1×8.6mm, terracotta-orange, bloodspots (Ac-030623-DDIE)\u003c\/a\u003e — $1,500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 \u0026amp; Tiger Tooth Motif Dzi Bead - Rare Triangular Shape\u003c\/a\u003e — $800.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/real-vs-fake-dzi-beads-the-definitive-collectors-guide-to-authentic-tibetan-dzi\"\u003eHow to Tell Real vs. Fake Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e — on etching methods, surface age markers, and how to read a genuine carnelian bead\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/carnelian-dzi-beads-pema-raka-guide\"\u003eCarnelian Dzi Beads: The Pema Raka Guide\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree stripes, two colours, one stone — and the maker placed the lines exactly where the carnelian told them to.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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\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\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe four stripe lines on this bead do not announce themselves — they hold.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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 alkaline-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\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\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\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\u003eAt 500–700 years, this bead falls within the ancient classification. 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\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Four Stripe Motif\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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 have been read in various traditions as referencing the four directions, 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\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpec Block\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e Four Stripe (四條紋); four horizontal alkaline-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 href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/original-ancient-dzi\"\u003eAncient Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/chung-dzi\"\u003eChung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou may also like:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor other stripe-tradition dzi in the collection:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\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, 49.4×11.9mm — Ac-081020-7SChung\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 措思天珠, 57.5×13.1mm — Ac-061426-5SChung\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\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 — At-020726-Chung\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-honey-brown-agate-at-061920-7schung\"\u003eAntique Seven Stripe Chung Dzi, 40.7×11.4mm — At-061920-7SChung\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\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 — Ac-061426-1SChungBS\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/what-gives-dzi-beads-value-and-what-to-be-careful-of\"\u003eWhat Gives Dzi Beads Their Value \u0026amp; What to Avoid\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/chung-dzi-meaning-striped-dzi-guide\"\u003eChung Dzi Meaning: A Guide to Striped Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFour stripes, five hundred years, and both ends honest about everything they have been through.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e📷 We never retouch our photos. Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\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\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\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\u003eThis single-stripe Chung dzi (措思天珠 \/ Cuòsī Tiānzhū) stands out in the collection precisely because of this fact. Most dzi in this collection carry a motif applied to their surface — alkaline-etched lines, shaped by human intention, placed deliberately on the agate ground. This bead 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\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\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\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\u003eThis bead is explicitly different from the Heaven \u0026amp; Earth dzi beads (such as \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/antique-tibetan-heaven-earth-dzi-bead-48mm-deep-brown-agate-200-400yr-at-121824-he2\"\u003eAt-121824-HE2\u003c\/a\u003e) 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 (\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/vintage-luk-mik-dzi-bead-ring-adjustable-r-060626-lm\"\u003eR-060626-LM\u003c\/a\u003e, \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/vintage-luk-mik-dzi-bead-ring-triangle-cz-r-060626-lm2\"\u003eR-060626-LM2\u003c\/a\u003e), which carry natural concentric ring patterns but are set in silver jewellery settings. This Chung dzi is one of the few beads in the collection whose entire visual character is produced by the geology of the stone.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Chung Dzi (措思天珠 \/ Cuòsī Tiānzhū)\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost Chung dzi carry etched stripes; a naturally banded single-stripe Chung like this one is valued for its purity — a bead whose pattern was not applied but simply revealed through polishing. 措思天珠 (Cuòsī Tiānzhū) is the name collectors use for this family of striped dzi, and 天珠 (Tiānzhū) — Heaven Bead — places it within the broader dzi tradition. The dark band at the centre can be read as the concentrated essence of the stone; the pale zones flanking it as the opening 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\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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 alkaline 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 href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/authentic-antique-dzi\"\u003eAntique Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e | \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/chung-dzi\"\u003eChung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelated Chung Dzi \u0026amp; Natural Banded Agate Beads\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Chung dzi family spans both etched and naturally banded beads. The pieces below cover multiple forms and ages, from ancient multi-stripe examples to new naturally-banded agate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAncient\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese pieces represent the deepest expression of the Chung lineage, formed and worn over centuries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-warm-honey-brown-agate-ac-041320-7schung\"\u003eSeven Stripe Chung Dzi, 49.1 × 12.8mm, warm honey-brown agate, tip damage disclosed (Ac-041320-7SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — $5,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-dark-brown-agate-scratches-ac-080620-7schung\"\u003eSeven Stripe Chung Dzi, 48.2 × 12.4mm, warm dark brown agate, scratch marks disclosed (Ac-080620-7SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — $5,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-single-stripe-chung-dzi-bloodspots-pitch-black-white-ac-061426-1schungbs\"\u003eSingle Stripe Chung Dzi with Bloodspots, 31.4 × 9.6mm, pitch-black and white, calcified end (Ac-061426-1SChungBS)\u003c\/a\u003e — $18,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-five-stripe-cho-dzi-cuosi-tianzu-pale-cream-ac-061426-5schung\"\u003eFive Stripe Cho Dzi 措思天珠, 57.5 × 13.1mm, milky translucent grey-white, pitch-black bands (Ac-061426-5SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — $8,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca 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, medicine-chipped ends (Ac-061526-1SBW)\u003c\/a\u003e — $8,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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, over 1,500 years (Ac-080420-19SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — $4,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/ancient-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-agate-near-pitch-black-ac-081020-7schung\"\u003eSeven 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\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 — $3,500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAntique\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese Chung and naturally-banded pieces span 100–500 years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\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 (At-110223-9SBS)\u003c\/a\u003e — $1,700.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 — $1,500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 (At-070622-5SChung)\u003c\/a\u003e — $1,500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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, 38.1×11.5×8.9mm, tricolour natural agate (At-061526-1SBow)\u003c\/a\u003e — $700.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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, 107.1×19.0×14.3mm, pitch-black banded agate (At-N-071126-BOW)\u003c\/a\u003e — $3,000.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 — $1,500.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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, Bicone Form, 15.7×11.5mm \u0026amp; 15.8×11.5mm, Warm Dark Brown, Greying Stripe (At-081123-1SPair)\u003c\/a\u003e — $800.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNew \u0026amp; Vintage\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eContemporary naturally-banded agate pieces, each displaying its own geological pattern.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\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 — $350.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 — $350.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 — New, 70.7×21.0mm, Pale Grey \u0026amp; Warm Gold Banded Agate (N-N-062126-1E)\u003c\/a\u003e — $350.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 — $200.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 — $200.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 — $200.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 — $200.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 — $300.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 — $300.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 — $200.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/chung-dzi-meaning-striped-dzi-guide\"\u003eChung Dzi Meaning: A Guide to Striped Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/real-vs-fake-dzi-beads-the-definitive-collectors-guide-to-authentic-tibetan-dzi\"\u003eHow to Tell Real vs. Fake Dzi Beads\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\u003e\n\u003cp\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\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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\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 11.5mm in diameter against just under 16mm in length, these are compact and rounded 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 alkaline-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\/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\/authentic-antique-dzi\"\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\/antique-seven-stripe-chung-dzi-honey-brown-agate-at-061920-7schung\"\u003eAt-061920-7SChung — Antique Seven Stripe Chung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e— seven alkaline-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\/where-do-dzi-beads-come-from-origin-history-mystery\"\u003eWhere Do Dzi Beads Come From?\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/chung-dzi-meaning-striped-dzi-guide\"\u003eChung Dzi Meaning: A Guide to Striped 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\"\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","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\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe end of this bead tells a different story than the body — and both are worth reading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSix horizontal alkaline-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\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\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 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\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\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\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Six Stripe Motif\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\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\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSpec Block\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMotif:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eSix Stripe (六條紋); six horizontal alkaline-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 href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/original-ancient-dzi\"\u003eAncient Dzi Beads\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e|\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/collections\/chung-dzi\"\u003eChung Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eYou may also like:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor other stripe-tradition dzi in the collection:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/products\/four-stripe-agate-dzi-barrel-grey-brown-chips-disclosed-ac-061426-4str\"\u003eFour Stripe Agate Dzi, 32.3 × 14.3mm, deep cool grey-brown barrel, both ends chipped (Ac-061426-4Str)\u003c\/a\u003e — $1,200.00\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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, 49.4×11.9mm — Ac-081020-7SChung\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\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 措思天珠, 57.5×13.1mm — Ac-061426-5SChung\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\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 — At-020726-Chung\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\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 — Ac-061426-1SChungBS\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFrom the blog:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/what-gives-dzi-beads-value-and-what-to-be-careful-of\"\u003eWhat Gives Dzi Beads Their Value \u0026amp; What to Avoid\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.ancientdzishop.com\/blogs\/news\/chung-dzi-meaning-striped-dzi-guide\"\u003eChung Dzi Meaning: A Guide to Striped Dzi\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSix stripes, seven zones of ground, and one end that shows you exactly what centuries-old agate looks like from the inside.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe never retouch our photos. What you see is exactly what you will receive.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e📷 We never retouch our photos. Every bead is photographed exactly as it is. What you see is what you receive.\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\/zh-tw\/collections\/chung-dzi.oembed","provider":"Ancient Dzi Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}