Feb., 1912. Jade. 89 



for the passage of a cord. In such cases simple small holes are drilled 

 somewhere very near to the lower edge as seen in the following speci- 

 mens. The present one, however, was not provided with a cord, but 

 seized by the hand. Wu therefore suggests the combining of the word 

 pi in the text of the Chou li with the classifier 75 for tree or wood, a 

 character (not in Giles) reading also pi. This word means, according 

 to the dictionary Shuo win, "a palisade erected by means of bamboo 

 poles," but also a socket, e. g. in a spear-head, for the insertion of a 

 wooden handle. It may therefore be conjectured with tolerable cer- 

 tainty that this perforation served the purpose of wedging in a handle. 

 If this was really the case, i. e. if this perforation presents an axe-hole, 

 we are further justified in concluding that this instrument either is 

 itself an axe or hammer or at least derives its shape and essential 

 features from the model of an axe, in the manner, so to speak, of a 

 ceremonial survival. 



This conclusion of mine is corroborated by the further investi- 

 gation of Wu. He refers to the definition given in the Chou li of 

 "the great tablet" {ta kuei) as being three feet long, made sloping 

 (chu, Giles No. 261 i) in the upper part so as to form a hammer's 

 head (chung k'uei shou, see Giles No. 6491, last item); the same 

 definition is repeated in the Shuo wen where the ta kuei is named also 

 Wing. Wu correctly points out that this condition is fulfilled in the 

 implement under consideration where the upper left corner is chamfered, 

 and that this chamfered portion is identical with the so-called hammer's 

 head. 1 Wu dilates on a discussion of this term which may be safely 

 omitted here, being of philological, not archaeological interest, and which 

 would require the reproduction of the text in Chinese characters to 

 become intelligible. He finally reminds us of the so-called medicine- 

 spades (yao ch'an) in connection with this hammer. We may safely 

 adopt the sober and judicious result of Wu's investigation which is 

 based on and in full harmony with the statements of the Chou li, and 

 which furnishes a satisfactory explanation of the peculiar features of 

 this instrument. While it is not necessary to go so far as to regard 

 it as a real hammer, it shares the essential characteristics of a stone 

 hammer, perhaps with some modifications growing out of its ritualistic 

 purpose. Its identification with the chen kuei of the Chou^ period is 

 further justified in that it agrees in regard to its length with the measure 



^iot (Vol. II, p. 522) was unable to render the passage correctly, as he had no 

 knowledge of what this object really was, and as the Chinese drawing, the result of 

 an imaginary attempt at reconstruction, was naturally apt to lead him astray. This 

 figure shows a rectangular wedge with a square knob at the end. It is figured also 

 in De Groot (The Religious System of China, Vol. VI, p. 1172) who is inclined to 

 regard this implement as an exorciser of demons in connection with solar worship. 



