Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 3.djvu/28

Rh "Book of Changes" made its appearance, the order of the male and female principles being strictly observed, and that the implements used in preparing and burning incense were of the most exquisite workmanship and costliest material. There are no finer specimens of lacquer to be found than the boxes in which were kept the censers, miniature chopping-blocks, mallets and knives; tiny tongs and spatula of gold or silver; elaborately chiselled silver stands for the instruments; marking-board of silver, gold, and vermilion lacquer, or of finely carved mother-of-pearl, and envelopes of illuminated paper. Incredible sums were paid for a choice set of implements in a rare box. The censer, above all, attracted attention. It might be of gold, or of iron inlaid with gold or silver, or of porcelain. The most highly prized of all kinds was céladon of the peculiar tint known as the greenish blue seen between the clouds after rain in summer—the u-kwo-tien-tsing of the Chinese Jo-yao. One of these tiny vessels, named the "sanderling censer," because its delicate colour recalled the plaintive note of that bird flying across winter moonlight, was in the possession of the Taiko and enjoyed the credit of protecting him against all danger. On another censer of the same ware Tokugawa Iyeyasu borrowed a sum of ten thousand pieces of gold to meet a sudden need.

The Kô-awasa had its frivolous aspects, of course; it would not otherwise have been a