In modern times this talisman is sometimes differently composed. A specimen shown in the Indian Court of the Paris Exposition of 1878 consisted of the following stones: coral, topaz, sapphire, ruby, flat diamond, cut diamond, emerald, amethyst, and carbuncle. Here the cut diamond, amethyst, and carbuncle take the place of the jacinth, pearl, and cat’s-eye.
Instead of uniting the different planetary gems in a single ring, they have sometimes been set separately in a series of rings to be worn successively on the days originally named after the celestial bodies. We read in the life of Apollonius of Tyana (first century A.D.) by Philostratus: “Damis also relates that Iarchas gave to Apollonius seven rings named after the planets, and the latter wore these, one by one, in the order of the weekdays.”[367] Although it is not expressly stated that the appropriate stones were set in the rings, the custom of the time makes it probable that this was the case.
NINE GEMS.
| English | Sanskrit | Burmese | Chinese (Canton) | Arabic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond | Vajra | Chein | Chun-syak | Mâs |
| Ruby | Manikya | Budmiya | Se-fla-yu-syak | Yâkût bihar |
| Cat’s-eye | Vaidûrya | Châno | Mâu-ji gan | Ain al-hirr |
| Zircon | Gomeda | Gomok | Pi-si | Hajar yamânî |
| Pearl | Muktâ | Pa-le | Chun-ti | Lûlû |
| Coral | Pravâla | Tadâ | Sau-ho-chi | Murjân |
| Emerald | Marakata | Mujâ | Luk-syak | Zumurrud |
| Topaz | Pushyaraga | Outfiyâ | Si-lang-syak | Yâkût al-azrak |
| Sapphire | Nîla | Nîlâ | Chang-syak | Yâkût al-açfar |
Among the Burmese the value for occult purposes of the nine gems composing the naoratna, or nararatna, is strictly determined in the following order: first, the ruby; second, the diamond, or rock-crystal; third, the pearl; fourth, the coral; fifth, the topaz; sixth, the sapphire; seventh, the cat’s-eye; eighth, the amethyst; and ninth, the emerald.[368] That the ruby, diamond and pearl should occupy places of honor is quite natural, but the relegation of the sapphire to sixth place, after coral and topaz, seems to be a rather unfair treatment of this beautiful stone.
SCULPTURED JADE MOUNTAIN.
Probably the largest mass of sculptured jade in existence. The design commemorates the meetings of a literary club of the fourth century. The Chinese characters (colored red) in the side of the cliff express the famous Lan Ting Hsu, or “Epidendron Pavilion Essay,” by Wang Hi-che (A.D. 321-379), ever since used by the Chinese as a model of elegant caligraphy, and were engraved directly from the autograph of the Emperor Ch’ien-lung, written by him in 1784. Height 23 inches, width 38½ x 18½ inches; weight 640 pounds. From the Summer Palace, west of Peking. Collection of T. D. Walker, of Minneapolis, Minn.
The yellow girdles worn by the Chinese emperors of the Manchu dynasty were variously ornamented with precious stones according to the different ceremonial observances at which the emperor presided. For the services in the Temple of Heaven, the very appropriate choice of lapis-lazuli ornaments was made; for the Altar of Earth, yellow jade was favored; for a sacrifice on the Altar of the Sun, the gems were red corals, while white jade was selected for the ceremonies before the Altar of the Moon. Jade of different colors was used for the six precious tablets employed in the worship of heaven and earth and the four cardinal points. For the worship of Heaven there was the dark-green round tablet; for that of Earth, an octagonal tablet of yellow jade. The East was worshipped with a green pointed tablet; the West was worshipped with the white “tiger-tablet”; the North with a black, semi-circular tablet, and the South with a tablet of red jade.[369]