“How doth a man revive in the world to come?” was asked by the Emperor
Hadrian of Rabbi Joshua Ben Hananiah. “From Luz in the backbone,” he
made reply and then went on to demonstrate this to the Emperor. He
took the bone Luz and put it into water, but the water had no action
on it. He put it in the fire but the fire consumed it not. He placed
it in a mill, but could not grind it. He laid it on an anvil, but the
hammer crushed it not."
MANDARIN’S JEWELS. Each of the nine Khioupings or Mandarins of China
proclaims his rank by a distinctive button of about an inch in diameter
worn at the top of his cap and distinguishing dress and insignia. The
chief officers wear a ruby on the cap. They are divided into civilian
and military sections.
The military wear a robe on which is embroidered a unicorn, the girdle
being adorned with a jade clasp set in rubies. The civilian mandarin is
distinguished by a crane embroidered on both back and front of the robe.
Those of the second order wear a coral button in their caps. The
military are distinguished by an embroidered lion and a gold girdle
clasp inset with rubies, the civilian by a golden pheasant.
Those of the Third Order wear a sapphire in the cap. The Military
display a leopard and a clasp of wrought gold, the Civilian a peacock.
Those of the Fourth Order wear an opaque blue stone in the cap. The
Military display on their robes a tiger and silver button clasp, the
Civilian a wild goose.
Those of the Fifth Order have their caps adorned with a crystal, the
Military their robes with a bear and a plain gold clasp with silver
button, the Civilian a silver pheasant.
Those of the Sixth Order wear on their caps an opaque white shell. The
Military adorn their robes with a tiger-cat and clasp of
mother-of-pearl, the Civilian with an egret.
Those of the Seventh Order wear on their caps a wrought gold button. The
Military robe displays a bear and has a silver clasp, the Civilian a
Mandarin duck.
Those of the Eighth Order wear a plain gold button on their caps. The
Military have on their robes a seal and a horn clasp, the Civilian a
quail.
Those of the Ninth Order wear on their caps a silver button. The
Military are distinguished by a rhinoceros and a clasp of buffalo horn,
the Civilian by a long-tailed jay.
MEDIAN STONE. This is a mysterious gem, possibly symbolic, which is
described as of black colour. Marbodus says “’Tis white to heal us,
black to slay our foes.” It would then be symbolical of Black and White
Magic.
MOLOCHITE. Mr. King is of the opinion that the Molochite is clear green
jade, and so he agrees with Pliny’s description of the stone, “opaque of
hue with the vivid green of the emerald.” Its virtue protected babies
from harm, gave luck and beauty and opposed the spite of witchcraft.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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