Lavender and brown jadeite when combined artfully is truly quite
stunning. Which brings us via a most arcane route to sex and
etiquette. But first a question. If it’s made of jadeite. and it’s a
statuette no more than 9 1/4 inches long. can it still be considered
jewelry. or in the family of jewelry. or remotely related to jewelry?
Or gemology? I need affirmation here in order to justify this Tidbits
edition as still being on target.
Let us go back to ancient China. I don’t know when. But it was during
a time when legend had it that somewhere on this planet there existed
an amazing mountain of pure jade which–when viewed–was said to
bring luck and wealth and spiritual peace. not to mention also the
gratification of one’s wishes.
There may be more truth here than meets the eye for in the Kobruk
River region of Alaska at one of the westernmost peaks in the Brooks
Range, there is indeed an entire mountain of jade which happens to be
named Jade Mountain. This. for those who don’t believe in legends. But
I digress.
Nudes. in those olden days. were rarely a subject for jade carvers.
It was considered inappropriate. This doesn’t really mesh in my mind
with the prevalence of concubines of those days and the restrictive
attitude ensconcing the medical profession. This yes and that no?
Let’s see. I’ll pay you to be my mistress. But no examining nude women
to save their lives. Understand?
However. that said. necessity required doctors to have nude carving
of jade women. Those in the medical profession would commission
carvers to create various sculptures with different views in order to
help in the diagnosis of female patients. Medical etiquette forbad
the examining of unclothed female patients.
And so. enter the jadeite nude. She would lie on her right side. She
would hold her breast. Her head rested on her arm. Her face held an
expression of contentment. This was a happy nude. She was there to
help the medical profession. She was an altruist of the highest
caliber.
And when a hapless female entered the hallowed physician’s doors
seeking succor the only recourse she had in order to get aid was to
point to the parts of the statue and say something to the effect of:
It hurts here. Or it hurts there. And from this meager bit of
… her cure would surely be forthcoming. Or not.
Of course. I am sure there are doctor stories out there today which
are surely comparable to the ineptitude of the old days. Maybe even
worse considering the advancements of the tools of today. Go to a
surgeon and you may well get a diagnosis. but you’ll also get an
operation. whether you need it or not. Oops. I think I’m being a bit
“jaded”. Now where’s that correlation I ask you.
Anyway. You want to see a jadeite statue of a nude who was an
intrinsic tool in the curative powers of medicine? Go. Go look. You
know where. To my home page at tyler-adam.com. lower left side of
menu (for now–changes are around the corner)… click on Tidbits…
and voila.
And there ya have it. That’s it for this week folks.
Catch you all next week.
Benjamin Mark