Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1922-10-06

there seems little reason to doubt the
existence Of the mineral along the
whole of the Kuenlun range. Much
difficulty is experienced in tracing the
veins, owing to the shifting sands.
A huge dixie Of nephrite, one form
Of jade, embedded in the rocky banks
Of the Raskemdaria, on the eastern
| slope Of the Pamir, was another source
| from which the Chinese formerly drew
large supplies. They extracted 1t by
| lighting large fires on the rock and
then throwing water on it when 1t be-
came thoroughly heated. The rock
was abandoned some years ago In con-
sequence, it is said, of the illness Of
| a member Of the imperial family, who
| was taken sick after having slept on
| a bed made Of Raskem nephrite. A
| large block Of the stone which was
| then on its way to Picking was put in
| chains and thrown on the roadside at
| Kutcha! 1t was from this ridge on
| the Raskemdaria that was taken what
| is probably the largest piece of
wrought Jade in the world-the mono
| lithic tombstone of Tamerlane. This
famous tomb of darkest-green jade
stands in half-ruined mosque at
| Samarkand, and Is feet s inches
| long, IL inches wide, IA inches high,
and weighs about 1900 pounds. 1t Is
broken through the middle, but is we'll
polished, completely covered with in
scriptions and rests on white marble
| base.
The Chinese use the utmost care in
carving jade The workman, having
| determined from the natural form of
the block and it's visible and probable
flaws, into what object he will carve
1t, fixes it on a lathe and gives it the
general outline. The interior is then
followed out by first drilling, with
diamond-pointed needles, innumerable
little holes all over the surface which
is to be broken away. When this Is
completely 'honeycombed the parti-
lions are broken down by being sharp
ly tapped with hammer. Too hard
tap might develop some hidden flaw
and shatter the half-finished object.
The piece is finally polished with CO
rundum The harder the stone and the
more difficult the cutting the more
brilliant the polish it is capable Of
Acquiring. 1t is claimed the jade is
softer when freshly taken from the
quarries. So great Is the difficulty OF
carving jade that an elaborate piece
may represent lifetime's labor. In
Kienlungs ateliers, in the summer
palace at Picking, the workmen sue
ceeded each other without interrup-
ton night and day. Even then many
years were occupied in completing a
single piece. i
Put to Many Uses. 3
The uses to which jade has been put
by the Chinese are almost endless.
Discs Of the stone, which when struck
give forth a clear, resonant note, are
used as temple gongs and musical in
struments. Ritual vessels are made Of
1t. Tablets inscribed with sacred writ
ings, bowls and vases Of fantastic form
and intricate design, statuettes Of
Buddha, perfect alike in conception and
execution, candelabra, boxes, pencil
holders and all the paraphernalia of
the writing table, as well as buckles,
bracelets, rings, hooks, buttons and
other ornaments are all wrought with
untiring patience and matchless skill
from the same intractable material.
AS material for artistic workman
ship jade was known In India only
from the time Of the Moguls, who en-
couraged its employment unstintingly.
The arts of carving in frost-like open
work and Of inlaying, which found
such perfect expression In the TAI
Mahal, were lavished In miniature on
jade cups, beetle-boxes, sword and
dagger hits, and turban ornaments,
for which there was an unfailing de-
mand at court.
Many specimens Of jade work as
well as of the unwrought stone have
been purchased In China; but some or
the best Western collections owe much
Indirectly to the looting of the Pekin
palaces by European soldiers In 1860
and again In 1900 and 1901.