The wishing jewel (“Jewel that grants all desires”) of India, Japan, and China is said to be “the pupil of a fish eye”. In India it was known in Sanskrit as the cintimani, and was believed to have originated from the makara.[19] The Chinese records have references to “moonlight pearls” from the eyes of female whales, and from the eyes of dolphins.[20] It does not follow that this belief [[219]]about the origin of shining pearls had a connection with observations made of the phosphorescing of parts of marine animals, because the Chinese writers refer too, for instance, to the nocturnal luminosity of rhinoceros horn.[21] Even coral, which, like jade, was connected with the lunar- or sky-goddess, was supposed to shine by night. Laufer quotes from the work, Si King tsa (Miscellaneous Records of the Western Capital, i.e. Si-ngan-fu), in this connection:
“In the pond Tsi-tsʼui there are coral trees twelve feet high. Each trunk produces three stems, which send forth 426 branches. These have been presented by Chao Tʼo, King of Nan Yūe (Annam), and were styled ‘beacon-fire trees’. At night they emitted a brilliant light as though they would go up in flames.”[22]
The “coral tree” here links with the pine, peach, and cassia trees, and the shining mandrake, as well as with jade, gold, precious stones, and pearls. In Persia the pearl and coral are called margan, which signifies “life-giver” or “life-owner”. Lapis-lazuli was called Kin tsin (“essence of gold”) during the Tiang period in China.[23]
As the metal associated with the moon was usually silver, gold being chiefly, although not always, the sun metal, we should expect to find silver connected with jade and pearls.
De Groot, who is frankly puzzled over Chinese beliefs regarding pearls, and has to “plead incompetency” to solve the problem why they were “considered as depositories and distributors of vital force”,[24] provides the translation of a passage in the Ta Tsʼing thung li that connects [[220]]silver with pearls. It states in reference to burial customs that “in the case of an official of the first, second, or third degree, five small pearls and pieces of jade shall be used for stuffing the mouth; in that of one of the fourth, fifth, sixth, or seventh rank, five small pieces of gold and of jade. The gentry shall use three bits of broken gold or silver; among ordinary people the mouth shall be stuffed with three pieces of silver.”
De Groot insists that the principal object of the practice of stuffing the mouths of the dead was “to save the body from a speedy decay”.[25]
It is significant therefore to find references in Chinese literature to “Pearls of Jade”, to “Fire Jade” that sheds light or even “boils a pot”, and to find silver being regarded as a substitute for jade. Shells, pearls, gold, silver, and jade contained “soul substance” derived from the Great Mother. As we have seen, Nu Kwa, the mythical Chinese Empress (the sister of Fu Hi, the “Chinese Adam”), who stopped the Deluge, took the place of the ancient goddess in popular legend. She was credited, as has been indicated, with planning the course of the Celestial River, with creating dragons, with re-erecting one of the four pillars that supported the firmament, and with creating jade for the benefit of mankind. In Japan Nu Kwa is remembered as Jokwa.
AMULETS FOR THE DEAD, AND OTHER OBJECTS IN JADE
1. 2. 3. 7. Tongue Amulets. 4. Amulet for eye. 5. 6. Lip amulets. 8. Girdle in shape of fungus of immortality. 9. Axe-shaped girdle ornament. 10. Carving of man (Han Period). 11. Jade image (Knei Pi) used in sacrifices to sun, moon and stars.