ing—again by touch only—between one grade of Jade and another.
It
was part of her training in Jade awareness to finger Jade beads of
various qualities, colours and shades, immersed in flower-scented
lukewarm water. In these unique exercises she practised much after the
manner of a pianist who in the constant playing of scales seeks and
finds proficiency as a performer. This came to be her favourite
relaxation, as she took her rest in the lovely marble terrace above the
lotus-fringed lake at her Summer Palace. Her favourite colour for Jade
was neither the grey-green nor sea-green variety, nor even the
emerald-green, but the so-called mutton-fat Jade—white—which she
esteemed above any other.
The Manchu Princess Der Ling, who was for a number of years lady-in-waiting to the Dowager Empress, relates in her book Imperial Incense that
one morning the chief eunuch, Li Lien Ying, came to Her Majesty to
announce that there had arrived a messenger from Chang Chih Tung, the
Viceroy of Wu Chung Province, bearing presents. She says: "Her
Majesty's face lighted. She enjoyed receiving presents as much as a
child enjoys receiving toys. While we were in Wu Chung I was often at
the home of Chang Chih Tung and I knew his hobby for collecting
beautiful things, especially Jade. This Jade he collected in its rough
state. He never made ornaments from the Jade for his wife or
concubines, but kept the best pieces under glass, in fine boxes, where
he could feast his eyes upon them.
"I knew this particular morning that the present from
