Feb., 1912. Jade. 297 



"The perfection of jade will appear, when the five virtues are cultiva- 

 ted." 1 Vessels, it was supposed, could be made of this supernatural 

 substance; in b. c. 163, a jade cup of this kind was discovered on which 

 the words were engraved, " May the sovereign of men have his longevity 

 prolonged!" The then reigning Emperor W6n took this joyful event 

 as a suitable occasion to choose a new motto for the period of his reign, 

 and to count this year as the first of a new era, celebrated with a ban- 

 quet throughout the empire. 2 



It was believed that immortality could be obtained by eating from 

 bowls made of this kind of jade. Thus, the phrase "to eat in the 

 perfection of jade" came to assume the meaning "to obtain eternal 

 life." In the form of a wish, it appears in prayers cast as inscriptions on 

 certain metal mirrors of the Han period connected with the worship of 

 Mount T'ai in Shan-tung (Chavannes, Le T'ai Chan, p. 425). 



While the Steward of the Treasury of the Chou dynasty who in 

 the main was the superintendent of the jade insignia of rank was in 

 charge of the mortuary mouth -jade and responsible for its proper de- 

 livery when occasion arose, it was not he who was concerned with its 

 manufacture. This was the duty of the chief in charge of the jade 

 works (yiifu) who controlled the making of the mouth-jade, the garment 

 used in the ceremony of recalling the soul of the dead, the angular 

 pillow supporting the head of the corpse and a spatula for supporting 

 the teeth (Biot, Vol. I, p. 125). 



Princes followed the observance of sending to their equals on their 

 death, pieces of jade to be placed in the mouth of their deceased friend 

 as the last honor to be rendered. Special messengers were entrusted 

 with this token who fulfilled their task as described in the Li ki (Tsa 

 ki II, 31) as follows: "The messenger with the mouth- jade 3 holding a 

 jade ring (pi) announced his message in these words, ' My humble 

 prince has sent me [calling his name] with the mouth -jade.' The assist- 

 ant [to the son of the deceased] went into the house for report, and said 

 in coming out, ' Our bereaved master [calling his name] is awaiting you.' 

 The bearer of the jade entered, ascended into the hall and gave his 

 message; the son bowed to him [as sign of thanks] and touched the 

 ground with his forehead [as sign of grief and mourning]. The bearer, 

 kneeling, deposited the jade south-east of the coffin on a reed mat, or 

 after interment, on a rush mat. He then descended and returned to 

 his place. An adjutant in court-dress, but still wearing the shoes of 



1 Compare Chavannes, La sculpture sur pierre en Chine, p. 34. 



2 Chavannes, Se-ma Ts'ien, Vol. II, p. 481. 



3 A free and correct rendering of this term, as will be recognized from the speci- 

 mens, would be "tongue-amulet." 



