Feb., 1912. 



Jade. 



263 



Fig. 3 (11.3 cm X 2.1 cm). It is cast of solid bronze, surmounted by 

 a hydra-head ; the surface is incrusted with silver wire forming a geomet- 

 ric decoration of lozenges and spirals. There are others of exactly the 

 same shape as the jade pieces, and there can be no doubt that the latter 

 have been derived from the former. In their elegant curve, they were 



Fig. 166. 



Buckle of White Jade with Yellow Mist, 



Back and Front. 



Fig. 167. 

 White Jade Buckle, Side and Front. 



well adapted to metal casting; carving and grinding them in jade was 

 a task of toil and trouble. This technical consideration is confirmed 

 by the written symbol of the word kou which is united with the radical 

 kin "metal." In case of a real jade type, we should certainly expect 

 to see the radical yii "jade." 



In early times, this girdle-buckle does not seem to have been in 

 existence. The word kou occurs three times in the Shi king (Legge, 

 Vol. II, pp. 285, 538, 547), but there it denotes in each case a hook for 

 the trappings of the breast-bands of a horse. This would have an 

 interesting bearing on the question why a horse's head is represented 

 in several of these buckles, if it could be unquestionably established that 





