Page 93 - Chinese Porcelain Vol I, Galland

SYMBOLS, EMBLEMS, AND CHARMS. 61

the wine down by them without saying a word, and then wait
until had finished the when he
patiently they game, might
advance and make known his requests. The lad proceeded to
do as he was instructed, and was surprised to find two old men
there engaged in a game of chess. After lie had silently
the food and drink on until
placed by them, they kept playing
had finished the without the lad.
they game, noticing They
then seemed hungry, and began to eat of the provisions they
saw by their side. After they had done eating and drinking,
the lad advanced and told his story, weeping while talking,
and besought them to save him from dying at so early an age.
They heard the lad, and then took out their records, and found,
on examination, that his life was indeed nearly finished, ac-
to the record. and inter-
cording They, however, took a pen,
before the nineteen the Chinese for nine, thus
polated figure
making the record read ninety-nine. They then ordered the
boy to return home and tell the old man he met in the street
that he must not do in like manner again ; that the time
appointed by Heaven was not to be divulged to mortals. The
lad thanked those old gentlemen, who were no other than the
'
North Measure
' and the ' South Measure,' went home, and
narrated to his mother what had occurred."
Nos. 57, 58, 59. Chessboards. These often
very appear
on china, mixed up with symbols and charms (see Nos. 241,
324).
With every chessboard are two jars for holding the pieces.
The chessboard seems merely to be one of the four signs of
a scholar, viz. lute, chessboard, books of poetry, and writing
instruments. Originally the Chinese, instead of chessmen,
used small cubes for playing with, and these are generally what
we find represented on porcelain.
No. 60. Is not a charm, but merely represents the articles
in use by a mystic or student The Taoist fly-brush shows the
owner to be a Taoist priest or alchemist. The feather broom is
for dusting his books or scrolls. The scroll is what he writes
upon (see also No. 368). (See p. 263.)
No. 61. Piece of coral and two peacock's feathers. This
also is not a charm, but shows the owner to belong to the
"
official class. As stated under the heading Mandarin," there
are nine grades of rank in the Chinese service denoted by the