A study on the Kuei of the Jade Tablet, Hole of the Ivory Tablet, Ancient Korea and China, Japan

한.중.일 3국의 圭.笏에 관한 연구

  • Published : 2001.03.01

Abstract

Jade, which is a kind of stone, with its transparent body, lustrous and bright character, But jade is not the only fair stone. There are three kinds of jade objects 1) tallies used in the court. 2) ceremonial jades. 3) ordinary jade for decoration, for inlaid work and for burial. Among the ceremonial jade, the most important were the "liu jui" and "liu ch′i." The former was supposed to be held by people in the court as symbols of their authority : 1) "then-kuei(鎭圭)" for the emperor. 2) "hang-kuei(恒圭)" for a duke, 3) "hsin-kuei(信圭)" a marquis. 4) "kung-kuei(躬圭)" for an earl, these "kuei" were alike in shape, but differed in size. 4) "ku-pi(穀璧)" for a viscount. 5) "p′u-pi(蒲璧)" for a baron, "pi(璧)" differed in decoration but were alike in shape. "Liu ch′i(六器)" were ceremonial objects used by the emperor in worshipping Heaven, Earth, and the Four Directions : "ts′ang-pi(倉璧)," greenish jade disk, used in worthipping Heaven "huang-tsung(黃琮)," yellow jade cylinder, used in worshipping Earth ; "cuing-kuei,(靑圭)" blue jade tablet. used in worshipping the East : "chih-chang(赤璋)," red jade tablet, used in worshipping the South : "hsuan-huang(玄璜)," black crescent, used in worshipping the North. Five kinds of tallies were "chen-kuei(鎭圭)," "yenkuei(琰圭)," "yuan-kuei(玩圭)," "ku-kuei(穀圭)." They were used to console people during disaster, to subjugate an official who had committed a crime, to reward a prize to an official for his merit or good conduct, to arbitrate disputes between high officials, to marry princess. and to dispatch troops. Since the west wei(西魏), Kuei and Hole were made of Ivory, wood and bamboo, who had ivory for fifth grade and wood and bamboo for under sixth grade. After Eastern Chou, all officials beginning to had kuei hole. symbol of Authority. and his wives. After Dang dynasty, Japan is the same. In korea. After king Bupheung in ancient and South(unification) Silla, North Kingdom Bohai, Koryo, and Chosen dynasty had ceremonial jade, Kuei and Hole.

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