Weiner Mihályné szerk.: Az Iparművészeti Múzeum Évkönyvei 7. (Budapest, 1964)

HOPP FERENC MÚZEUM — MUSÉE FERENC HOPP - Horváth, Tibor: Four Archaic Chinese Jade Carwings

Fig. 1. Knot-opener, jade, Sui-T'ang, after Ch'en Chih-fo

—Wu Shan probably has also changed ; it is now a dark greyish-brown. Both sides are carved identically. The decoration of this knot-opener can be separated into two sections. According to its function, the lower section is shaped to faciliate the openings of knots, it comes to a point at the end of a strip divided into four parts by carved lines and bordered with semicircular lines. This part of the decoration could not be much altered since it was first used on the early type of knot-openers made of horn or bone or ivory. Yet it was still used as a knot-opener, even though it was becoming flat. For better use it was emphasized at the edge by arched lines to provide a surer grip. The circle-four carved lines-points motive in the upper section is surrounded by four C-shaped spirals. This is raised by polishing method and covers the major surface. The figure of the top animal vaguely indicated as a lin (female unicorn) by the form of the upper lip is somehow connected with the kuei, a dragon figure. The head is turned back and seems to have a raised scalloped-like backbone which may be a later version of the so-called ,,C-horn". Similar protrusions are repeated on the neck. Spiral lines put emphasis on the upper legs. The tail is long and the legs are indicating motion

. At the edge of the knot-opener a narrow ribbon-like ornament constituting an important part of the representation, continues down one side of the head, across the body and between the forelegs. It can be described though not interpreted. The cut-out sections emphasize the outline of the animal. Through one of these, very likely by the mouth of the animal, the object was fastened to the belt.