Feb., 1912. 



Jade. 



241 



period." Not the faintest reason is given for this chronological defini- 

 tion. For the rest, the forms of all these variants are just alike, and 

 as much as they are at variance with the two real specimens of Wu, 

 they show a striking resemblance to the fanciful reconstructions in the 

 San li Vu and Leu king t'u (compare e. g. the woodcut in Couvreur's 

 Dictionary, p. 112), so that they cannot receive any credit. 



I may be allowed to join here eight jade girdle-pendants (Plate 

 XXXI) which, though works of the eighteenth century, are in close 



Fig. 149. 



Small Jade Implement to loosen 



Knots. 



Fig. 148. 

 Large Jade Implement to loosen Knots. 



historical connection with the ancient works and partially represent 

 subjects traceable to the Han period. Therefore, they find a suitable 

 place here; they further illustrate the development of these ornaments 

 in modern times. Figure 1 is a carving of gray jade (3.5 cm X 2.5 cm) 

 showing a reclining horse with head turned back towards a monkey who 

 is leaning against the horse's neck on the other side. In the illustration, 

 the monkey is not visible, being covered by the horse's head. One of 

 the peculiar charms of these ornaments is that their two sides often 

 present different views. Carried in the girdle, only one face is directed 

 towards the looker-on whose curiosity is naturally aroused to know 

 what may be carved on the opposite face, and there he often meets 



