Contents of a Chinese ^' Curiosity -sliopy '^6'y^ 



iiiliabitaiits. Here tlic eye rests upon objects of tlie most 

 bizarre shapes, which in material design and execution 

 are totally unlike Anything the European sees elsewhere ; 

 workmanshij^ in wood and stone, that illustrates in a re- 

 markable manner tlie extraordinary patience of the artisan, 

 such as drinking-cups, barrels, frames, cut all in one piece, 

 and beautifully carved, elegant fancy articles of horn, stone, 

 mother-of-pearl, ivory, roots of trees, metal, or wood, vases 

 and dishes, statuettes in copper and clay, woven portraits, 

 embroidery, &c. &c. 



Among all these various manufactures, one es2:)ecially 

 remarks those prepared from a leek-green, slimy-feeling 

 stone (nej^hrite), which is in much request among the Chinese, 

 and is higlily valued. The Chinese name, Yo, from which 

 in all probability is derived the French name Jade^ does 

 not indicate however a peculiar species, but is used for all 

 sorts of carved stone- work and gems, while the most valuable 

 one is called by the Chinese the ''mutton-fat" stone. The 

 articles prepared of what is named steatite, or soap-stone, are 

 largely used in commerce, but are of very small value, and 

 usually cut only in very clumsy figures. 



But these manufactures make much less impression upon the 

 stranger than the beautiful pictm'es of the Chinese artists upon 

 rice-paper, a peculiar branch of art, cultivated by the Chinese 

 alone, and which as yet has never been successfully imitated in 

 any other country. The most exquisite specimens of these are 

 sent to Canton, but among the Chinese in Hong-kong we 



