Page 65 - Chinese Porcelain Vol I, Galland

SYMBOLS, EMBLEMS, AND CHARMS. 33

an omen of good. The body is all covered with these
knots."
auspicious
The illustrations under the headings symbols, emblems,
and charms have been, unless when otherwise stated, taken by
the kind permission of Mr. Salting from pieces in his magnifi-
cent collection at South Kensington Museum, and the reader
will no doubt appreciate the care with which they have been
reproduced by Miss Florence D. B. Clutterbuck.
Emblems of the Eight Immortals.
Nos. 12 and 13. A fan (shan). Sir John Davis, vol. ii. p.
114, tells a story of Chung-le, which may account for why the
fan has become his emblem. " Having married a young and
beautiful wife, he retired to his native country of Soong, to
lead the life of a One
philosopher." day meditating among
" " "
a multitude of tombs he soon found himself near a
newly-
constructed The hillock of earth was not
sepulchre. tempered
On one side of the tomb sat a woman
yet entirely dry. young
in deep mourning, holding in her hand a large white fan, with
which she fanned the surface of the
constantly ground. . . .
When he had her a little further to
pressed explain herself,
she made him this ' You see a widow at the tomb of her
reply,
husband, from whom death has unhappily severed her. . . .
Even in dying he could scarcely bear to part with me, and his
"
last words were these, My dear if should hereafter
spouse, you
think of marrying again, I conjure you to wait, at least, until
the earth of after which have
my grave is entirely dry, you
my sanction to espouse whom you please." Now, as it occurred
to me that the surface of this which has been
ground, newly
tempered, would not very soon dry, I thought I would just fan
it a little to assist in off the moisture.' The
carrying philoso-
pher had much ado to avoid laughing outright at this plain
avowal. . . . Turning to her, he said, ' Your wish is that the
surface of this tomb should with all
dry speed ; but, delicate as
you are, this exercise will soon tire you ; let me, therefore,
give you some assistance.' The young woman immediately
rose, and making him a profound reverence, accepted his offer
him with another fan like her own.
by presenting exactly
The who had the of now
philosopher, power invoking spirits,
called them to his aid. He struck the tomb several times