Page 71 - Chinese Porcelain Vol I, Galland

SYMBOLS. EMBLEMS, AND CHARMS. 39

missives have been found in the bellies of lishes, and to the
tale of Su Wu's letter, which was conveyed from Tartary by
beino: tied to the foot of a wild o-oose."
Fu, meaning plenty. By increasing the number to two,
and thus following the usual Chinese method of expressing
a it is made to mean a wish for the utmost plenty
superlative,
No.
(see 330).
No. 26. Shell. Franks, p. 240 : " An univalve shell (lo),
the chank shell of the Buddhists. A shell was lent by the
Government to the ambassadors to Loochoo, to ensure them
"
a P. 217 : May also be the emblem of
prosperous voyage."
a
prosperous journey."
No. 27. A canopy (Jcae). This, like the umbrella, is a
to official life, which is the ambition of the
sign relating great
Chinese.
" "
No. 28. Bell. Middle Kingdom," vol. i. p. 83, Nanking
"
Pagoda : "152 bells in all were suspended from the top and
corners."
83 "A drum and bell serve in the
Davis, vol. ii. p. : huge
temple to awaken the attention of the gods to their wor-
"
P. 107 : And beat the drum
shippers." they occasionally
and bell to rouse Budha's attention to their
large prayers."
239 : " This is
Franks, p. (Chung) generally replaced' by
the lun or Chahra, the wheel of the law."
In No. 397 the wheel of the law has taken the of
place
the bell, as shown in No. 28. Instead of repeating a number
of Buddhists sometimes have these, or of their
prayers, portions
sacred books, written out and attached to this wheel, the
turning
of which so many times is believed to have the same effect.
"
162 No Cha. He took in beside
Mayers, p. : refuge spirit
the throne of Buddha, who confided to his charge the wheel of
the law (the propagation of the Buddhist doctrine)."
No. 29. Knot. Franks, p. 240: " An angular knot; the
intestines an emblem of longevity."
(chang)
It is also said to stand for the eight Buddhist command-
"
ments. 337 : The Eight Instructors, or Warnings
Mayers, p.
—(1) Thou shalt not kill ; (2) Thou shalt not steal ; (3) Thou
shalt not commit lewdness ; (4) Thou shalt not bear false
witness Thou shalt not drink wine Old
; (5) " ; (6) age ; (7)
Infirmities Death No. 330).
; (8) (see