ETHNOLOGY. | | f, 



To comprehend the patience and the incredible resources of oriental 

 workmen, one has but to cast his eyes upon certain antique pieces in 

 the Morny collection, as described by M. Albert Jacquemart. For ex- 

 ample, a jade has been fashioned into an open chalice, surmounted by a 

 squatting Buddhist figure, or Hindoo. The cup is supported by three 

 eagles with extended wings, each one holding in its beak the figure of 

 a lamb cut out of the same mass; their talons rest upon scroll ornaments 

 which reenter the base, and, terminating by three balls, serve as a staud 

 for the whole. The whole work stands out so distinctly and the under- 

 cutting is so deep, that one fears to see it fall to pieces at the slightest 

 touch. Two small vases, one of them without mounting of any sort and 

 the other hanging in its Kia-tse of carved wood, appear more wonderful 

 still ; besides the body of each vase and its lid, there is worked out from 

 the same mass of jade two movable rings, attached below to the handles 

 of the vases, and above to a cross-piece iu shape of a yoke, on which is 

 clasped a gilded or enameled bat, which forms the point of suspension. 



If we contemplate the mechauical difficulties of every kind which at- 

 tend the working in this hard and tough stone, to be honey-combed 

 with the diamond-pointed drill and polished with emery, we may begin 

 to appreciate the merit of such complex works and the time which is 

 expended on them, for, as we have already observed, almost the entire 

 life of a man is required to reach a good result by the laborious and 

 patient Chinese. 



The Tchou-li, or etiquette regulations of Tcheou, twelfth century B. C, 

 preserves for us some ancient usages relative to jade. Thus the great 

 administrator-general, Ta-tsai, serves as an assistant to the emperor iu 

 some details of official receptions, as " the homage of jade and precious 

 stuffs, the offerings of jade presented, the jade throne, and the jade vase." 

 The orientalist, Edouard Biot, to whom we owe the first translation of 

 this important code, adds the following comment: "The rare produc- 

 tions which princes bring from their kingdoms as offerings to the sov- 

 ereign are placed in jade vessels. The seat or throne of jade supports 

 the emperor as he sits on the hassock or cushion. When he rises, the 

 seat of jade is set forth as a mark of honor, and those who have come 

 to pay their homage are invited to drink from the vase of jade. In the 

 case of funerals, the same officer attends to receive presents in jade made 

 to the defunct prince and the piece prepared to be placed in his mouth." 



The treasurer, Ta-fou, has special fuuctious to assess the value of the 

 first-class objects of gold and jade. Next to him is the officer placed 

 over the magazine of jade, (infou,) and charged with keeping gold, jade, 

 and all other precious articles which are the property of the emperor. 

 The yu-jin, those who work on jade on the palace, are also under his 

 direction. 



A few words now upon artificial jades. According to the words of 

 Telfaschi in his " Kitab-al- Ahdjar," or " The Book of Flowery Thoughts on 

 Precious Stones," a Persian treatise iu Arabic, the "yeschm," (Persian 



