The Open court . carving the jade block in such a way that the colors were appropriatelydistributed, either to an artistic end, or as here, to lend an object itsreal colors, or realism of color and a color of realism. No. 8 is thesmallest and plainest of this type which I know, and not ornamentalon the obverse ; it is of lustrous white jade with a slight greenishtinge. In the two slanting sides, it agrees with the plain tongue-shaped type, but the style of carving shows that here also the figureof the cicada is intended. No. 9 shows the specimen on its lowerface which isof grayish jade, but wi
The Open court . carving the jade block in such a way that the colors were appropriatelydistributed, either to an artistic end, or as here, to lend an object itsreal colors, or realism of color and a color of realism. No. 8 is thesmallest and plainest of this type which I know, and not ornamentalon the obverse ; it is of lustrous white jade with a slight greenishtinge. In the two slanting sides, it agrees with the plain tongue-shaped type, but the style of carving shows that here also the figureof the cicada is intended. No. 9 shows the specimen on its lowerface which isof grayish jade, but with a very peculiar chocolate-brown portion in the upper end with a narrow bluish stripe below the upper side, the two wings of the insect are brought out bylines engraved, as in the other specimens. Only two of them areprovided with a contrivairce by which they can be fastened. Thatin No. 5 has two small holes about 2mm. in length drilled in theupper edge; they communicate in the interior and thus allow the. 2 56 8 9 TONGUE AMULETS FOR THE DEAD IN THE SHAPE OF CICADAS. THE CICADA AN EMBLEM OF IMMORTALITY IN CHINA. 97 passage of a wire or cord. The object in No. 6 is provided with asmall perforated rounded handle. Dr. Laufer adds: Why the cicada was chosen for this amulet,seems not to be known. This idea may be connected with thememento mori brought out by the figures of a cicada and mantis onthe Han jade buckles. This explanation seems to us forced, and we are reluctant toaccept it, because we can offer another interpretation which is moreprobable and is suggested by the ancient Taoist rite to procure anelixir of life. If we consider that all lasting substances were deemedin the mystical notions of the Taoist sages a proper food of immor-tality, it is evident that these mixtures were taken as a kind ofambrosia, a food to procure immortality, and one of the most im-portant ingredients among them was jade. Jade was pulverized and eaten, or was mixed with water andtaken as a
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade188, booksubjectreligion, bookyear1887
