古代国之重器（5）：西方白琥 (Top treasure of ancient China (5): Top treasure of ancient China(5): White Hu to Worship West)

原作：关世音，翻译：东升西点

《周礼》记载： “以玉作六器以礼天地四方，以苍壁礼天、黄琮礼地、青圭礼东方、赤璋礼南方、白琥礼四方、玄璜礼北方”。六器是周王朝正式建立的国家典章制度。六器标志官职高低；祭祀天、地、四方之神。在玉种、色彩和器形上，规定得十分明确和严格。这一制度为封建社会历代帝王所承袭。关于玉琥，考古界的说法比较模糊，实物和图像更是多有争议，有的主张玉虎是一种雕刻成片状的虎型，有的主张是圆雕的虎型，还有的说这里的玉虎就是指虎符。我觉得这是值得商榷的，既然周礼具体详述了“六瑞”，说明从时代上，周以前就有玉虎这种玉器，而虎符是战国以后才有的器物，从功能上，六器是祭祀天地四方的器物，虎为百兽之长，它的威猛和传说中降服鬼物的能力，使得它也变成了属阳的神兽，常常跟着龙一起出动，「云从龙，风从虎」成为降服鬼物的一对最佳拍档。白虎的主要功能应该是辟邪、镇魔、除妖；从阴阳五行的传统学说上看，五行家们根据阴阳五行给东西南北中配上颜色而每种颜色又配上一个神兽与一个神灵；东为青色，配龙，西为白色，配虎，南为朱色，配雀，北为黑色，配武，黄为中央正色。正好符合六器的规定。既然周礼规定了六器的典章制度，显然玉虎也应该和玉璧，玉琮等属於周以前的玉器特徵，所以，琮王府的下面的玉琥才应该是六器里所说的西方白虎。

According to Rites of Zhou (《周礼》), Use jade to make into 6 objects in order to use them to worship heaven and earth and the four directions: Use the blue Bi (苍璧, cang bi4) to worship heaven, use the yellow cong (黄琮, huang2 cong2) to worshiop earth, use the green gui (青圭, qing gui) to worship east, use the red zhang (赤璋, chi4 zhang) to worship south, use the white hu (白琥, bai2 hu3) to worship west, use the black huang (玄璜, xuan2 huang2) to worship north. The six-object is the officially established national regulation system of Zhou Dynasty (周朝). The six-object indicates the ranks of officials; worships gods of heaven, earth and four directions. the jade type and color are cleared stated and ruled. This system is inherited by all emperors in the feudal society. On jade Hu, Archeologists have vague ideas. There are disagreements on the physical object and pictures. Some believe that jade Hu is a flat piece of tiger shape. Some believe that it is a round piece of tiger. There are people claim that jade Hu is meant to be Hu Fu (虎符). I think that this is worth of discussion. Since the Rites of Zhou (《周礼》) described “Six Ceremonial Jades” (六瑞) in details, we can conclude that there existed such jade Hu pieces before Zhou from the time point of view. But Hu Fu appeared after Zhan Guo (战国) period. From the usage, the Six Ritual Jades are objects to worship heaven and earth and the four directions. Tiger is the king of groups of animals. Its might and fierceness as well as its believed power to conquer evils made a positive spiritual animal, often appearing together with dragon (cloud with dragon, wind with tiger). They become the best pair to conquer evils. The main feature of a white Hu should be to avoid evils, conquer devils and eliminate monsters. From the traditional Yin-Yang Wu-Xing (阴阳五行), experts in Wu-Xing assign a color, a spiritual animal and a spiritual soul to each of east, south, west, north and middle: cyan with dragon for east, white with tiger for west, red with bird for south, black with wu (武) for north, and yellow for center. This is exactly the rule for six objects. Since Zhou Dynasty made the rule for six objects, it is clear that jade Hu should be considered as a character of jade objects before Zhou as jade Bi and jade Zong did. Therefore, the following jade Hu of Zong Wang Fu (琮王府) is indeed the west white hu in six object.

这些瑰宝版权所有，不得仿制。否则依法追究责任。

These treasures are copy right protected. No duplicates are allowed. Violators will be sued.

Currently, these pieces are kept by the mystery Zong Wang Fu.

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