Seven treasures. Seven treasures refer to tortoise shell, agate, crystal, coral, amber, pearl and musk. Gold and silver
The appearance of gold ornaments was slightly later than that of bronze ornaments, in the middle and late Neolithic period three or four thousand years ago. Gold is stable in nature, mostly exists in a free state and is easy to obtain. Because of its beautiful appearance, good machinability and strong ductility, gold was designated as the first choice metal for decorative products as soon as it appeared. At this point, China and foreign countries are the same. In China's archaeological excavations, gold foil was unearthed in Yin Ruins, and Kuifeng gold ornaments were unearthed in Shang Dynasty. During the Spring and Autumn Period, Warring States Period and Han Dynasty, gold wares prevailed. At this time, it is mostly owned by royalty and princes, which is difficult for ordinary people to see. It was not until the Sui and Tang Dynasties that folk gold ornaments really became popular.
Silver does not exist in a free state in nature, but in the form of compounds, and the technical requirements for extraction are complicated, so it appears later than gold ornaments. At present, the earliest silver ornaments we can see are about bronze weapons with wrong gold and silver in the Spring and Autumn Period. In fact, this is not a real silver ornament. The vessels made of silver should have started in the Warring States period. However, because the storage of silver in nature is greater than that of gold, once its refining technology is mastered, silverware will be very popular, and because of its price advantage, the number of folk silverware far exceeds that of gold. This is why we can see more ancient silverware at present.
There are "seven treasures" in the Buddhist paradise where Amitabha comes to live in pure land. The first treasure is gold and silver. Gold represents a kind of health. Many bodhisattvas who come home want to cast a golden body, which means "golden body protects against all diseases" and represents the meaning of health and longevity. Silver also represents health and longevity, silver represents the light of Buddha, and newborn children wear silver ornaments.
Hooper
There are three schools in Buddhism: abstinence, stability and wisdom. Only when people get rid of the troubles in the world can they improve their concentration. With a certain concentration, they will have a quiet heart-like peace. When people settle down to a certain degree, they will have the ability to judge right and wrong and the way to deal with problems.
Amber is a valuable medicinal material. It is recorded in Li Shizhen's Compendium of Materia Medica that amber can calm the mind and soothe the nerves, calm the five internal organs, and clear the heart and soothe the nerves. Corresponding to Buddhism's "precept, determination and wisdom", practicing with amber can help people produce determination. Moreover, it is one of the seven treasures of Buddhism and a blessing treasure for Buddhist practitioners. Both Buddha and Bodhisattva help people get rid of disasters, and amber is also a gift from Buddha to help people get rid of mental and physical pain.
Amber is a gem cultivated for millions of years. Taking amber as one of the seven treasures of Buddhism is also to show that it takes a long time to practice and stand the test before you can gradually realize it. The source of amber: 40 million years ago, there were large forests in northern Europe. At that time, the climate was warm and there were no humans. Today's ancestors of pine and fir trees drop resin. Those virgin forests were buried by silt deposits, so the resin has been preserved to this day. Many large areas in northern Europe have become the seabed, which is why amber is mostly produced on the Baltic coast.
The value of amber:
It varies in size and quality. For jewelry, amber from the Baltic Sea and Dominica is the most precious. The largest amber producing area in the world is Yangtaniyi. This is an open-pit mining area near Kaliningrad, located on Russian land between Poland and Lithuania in the Baltic Sea. 80% to 90% of the world's annual amber production comes from this.
The charm of amber:
Its color is subtle, its texture is warm and moist, and it has unparalleled affinity. It gives people a serene and serene spiritual feeling. Every piece of amber is unique, as if this masterpiece of nature thousands of years ago was a wonderful moment to become attached to people.
How to appreciate the beauty of amber;
Amber, in addition to its gem style, the beauty of amber lies in its meaning and wisdom. For thousands of years, amber has been praised by people in ancient and modern Chinese and foreign literary works. Amber is the only living "living fossil". Under the carving of time, its color will be more ruddy and its texture will be more crystal clear. With a piece of amber, you will see an unpredictable world.
Benefits of wearing amber:
Health: According to Li Shizhen's Compendium of Materia Medica in Ming Dynasty, amber can soothe the five internal organs, calm the mind, stop bleeding, remove blood stasis and detoxify. Different colors of amber have different effects. Red-brown is used to treat the heart and kidneys. Gold can cure liver disease, and Lanpo can delay aging. Every piece of amber has a Buddha's heart, which makes all beings pray for peace. Meditation: Buddhism practices "abstinence, steadiness and wisdom", based on which "abstinence and wisdom are born from steadiness". Amber helps practitioners to meditate, increase their wisdom and give birth to a meditative state of mind. Vows: The contents of amber will remain unchanged for ten thousand years, and the Buddha vows the great wishes of all beings. It means that the oath will never change and is a symbol of eternity. Good men and women pray with amber and have good luck all their lives.
K gold: "K" is a kind of gold ornament marked with 18K platinum or 18KWG, which is used to express the purity (i.e. gold content) of gold internationally. It is a white alloy with 25% palladium or nickel added to gold, which makes it more colorful. The rose gold on the market now is a kind of K gold, and its gold content is G750%. Nowadays, K gold jewelry is marked with multiple standards.
Platinum: Platinum is also called platinum, and its English name is platinum, which is generally coded by its abbreviation PT. Platinum is resistant to corrosion and oxidation by strong acid and alkali, and its chemical properties are more stable than that of K platinum. Platinum ornaments are marked with "PT" logo and color. For example, "PT900" refers to the platinum products of jewelry, with a platinum content of 90%; "PT950" refers to the platinum products of this jewelry, with a platinum content of 95%.
Marquette: In order to cover up the easy discoloration of silver, another method is to directly sulfide silver so that it will no longer turn yellow and black. Sulfurized silver presents a quaint effect. This method originated in Thailand and is also called "Makasit".
925 silver: 925 silver is the international standard silver for silver jewelry. In fact, the silver content of 925 silver jewelry is not 100%, because 7.5% alloy is added to pure silver, which improves the luster, brightness and hardness of silver.
Tibetan silver: Maybe no one makes it clear now, because Tibetan silver is a commercial term. At first, merchants called it white copper or white copper mixed with a small amount of silver, but times have changed. Now businessmen call those alloy products such as tin and aluminum with extremely low prices Tibetan silver or earth silver. It will turn black after a long time, and it will not shine with silver cloth.
Amber: Amber is a fossil of turpentine 40 million years ago, and it is also called the three organic gems with pearls and corals. Only 40 million years ago, turpentine fossils were hard enough to be inlaid into jewelry.
We often meet amber's name:
Laomi: It is pointed out that opaque amber with a long history is red and orange.
Blood amber: transparent amber indicating the age of soil. The color is like the color of fine red wine.
Cooper: It means white amber.
Mingpo: The color is extremely elegant, clear and transparent. If you are a cheerful and naive woman, wearing it can make you refreshed, full of vitality, and make you more flexible and feminine.
Jin Po: It was called "God of Wealth Stone" in ancient times. Because of its bright color and luxury, it is most suitable for straightforward and upright people.
Huo Po: It is the most common amber, with gentle and lovely color and hidden passion in elegance and romance. It is suitable for all women to wear, and it is also a kind of amber that best reflects women's femininity.
Shepard: Also known as Medical Shepard, it is colorful and dignified, and its electrostatic effect will make you feel relaxed. In addition, you often wipe your face with blood pearl beads after cleansing, which is conducive to promoting blood circulation of the skin and plays a very important role in improving skin color.
Green pearl: mysterious and deep colors and blurred and deep cells inside make people feel dreamlike yearning and longing. Suitable for introverts and serious people.
Wapper: Amber, also known as secret wax, was used by the ancient royal family. Waxy color and smooth touch make people feel only inner peace and harmony.
Huapo: Confused color blocks are intertwined, and beauty conveys crazy emotions, which makes people have an unforgettable effect and brings you an emotion.
Two-color Perls: interwoven without overlapping, with clear boundaries and distinct shades.
Combination of amber: Connecting all kinds of beautiful yearning and wishes together, people will feel the more intense brilliance of amber, which comes from the beautiful and rare "organic gem" around your neck.
Dangjue
The shells of mollusks living in the deep sea may also be white corals. Sanskrit seeks to land on Gerapo. Volume 2 (end) of Beijing Daily Xuan Zan said:' There are clouds in the car canal, showing my grandmother, alternating with blue and white.' Tortoise shell is a high-level sacred object of Tibetan Buddhism.
Red beads
That is, lohitamuktika, what you see is generally red coral beads. "Great Wisdom" (Volume 10) says:' True pearls are born in the belly of fish, bamboo and snake brain.' There is a cloud in the Buddhist Sutra:' The name of the red worm is lohitamuktika, or the pearl is red, and it is called lohitamuktika.' True pearls are generally thin and gray, and red pearls refer to pearls with reddish color. Pure red pearls are extremely rare. Red coral beads are usually used instead of red beads.
agate
This thing is not what people call the code nao, but an emerald or gem with a dark green luster.
Honey wax
Beeswax is a kind of amber, which is no different from amber in physical composition and chemical composition, but it is named because of its "color like honey and light like wax". Beeswax is very popular because of its soft texture and warm color. Amber is a natural resin fossil, which was secreted by conifers 40 million to 60 million years ago. It was buried deep in the ground after the crustal changes and gradually evolved. Amber can be divided into transparent amber and opaque amber according to transparency. Opaque amber, which is like honey in color and has the same luster and texture as wax, is traditionally called "beeswax". The beeswax is delicate in color, warm in texture and feels extremely friendly. It has always been a competition between dignitaries to collect treasures for fun. Amber has been regarded as a precious wealth since ancient times. Chinese medicine believes that amber can soothe the nerves and help sleep. Amber is listed as one of the seven treasures in Buddhism, which is auspicious for Buddhists. Amber is very popular as an ornament abroad. Whether in the East or in the West, amber is loved by people for its warm color and simplicity and elegance.
purple
Amethyst slowly fades under the action of high temperature such as natural geothermal, so amethyst has the characteristics of amethyst and topaz, and there will also be natural ice cracks and moire. At present, it is said that only Bolivia is a country producing amethyst.
Amethyst: it symbolizes wisdom and wealth, in other words, it has the dual functions of amethyst and topaz; It can also strengthen the sixth sense. It has the function of dissolving villains. It has the function of combining two kinds of extreme energy, and is most suitable for partner relationship, parent-child communication, communication between superior and subordinate couples and communication between husband and wife.
malachite
The English name Malachite comes from the Greek Mallache, which means "green". Malachite has such a beautiful name because its color is similar to the green spots on peacock feathers. In ancient China, malachite was called "green", "stone green" or "green"? #092; Malachite is an ancient jade material.
turquoise
It is an ancient jade. As a crystal, its history can be traced back to the Persian kingdom in the 3rd century, and Buddhism prevailing in Asia also regards it as an important musical instrument. Most of the turquoise ornaments we see today are inlaid with silver, and their styles still retain the exotic customs of the Middle East and the mysterious colors of Tibetan Buddhism.
The most famous turquoise producing area in the world is Iran. The turquoise in China is mainly produced at the junction of Hubei, Henan and Shaanxi, and the most famous is the bare slash pine mine.
The tone of turquoise is mainly blue-green. High-grade turquoise, that is, turquoise for jewelry, requires sky blue standard and uniform color. Followed by dark blue, blue-green and light gray blue.
Moonstone (moonstone)
Also known as moonstone and moonstone, the chemical formula (potassium aluminum silicate) is the most valuable gem with optical effect. Colorless or milky white, high-quality people are often translucent, with a light blue halo, like hazy moonlight, which is a gem of feldspar. In ancient times, people in many countries in the world thought that wearing moonstone could bring good luck, awaken lovers' tenderness, give people strength and look forward to a bright future. In modern times, many countries regard the moonstone as the "birthstone of June" together with pearls and metamorphic rocks, symbolizing health, wealth and longevity. The processing value of rough and poorly polished moonstone is greatly reduced. Pay attention to the best optical effect when wearing moonstone.
Bixi
Known as tourmaline, it comes from its own thermoelectric properties and can attract or repel light objects. Such as dust or paper, its gemological name is tourmaline. Tourmaline is usually produced in the core of granite pegmatite and albite-lepidolite pegmatite. Tourmaline is one of the most complicated gemstones in nature, with many varieties, but only red tourmaline, green tourmaline, blue tourmaline, variegated tourmaline and tourmaline cat's eye are used as gems. Generally, red tourmalines are used as women's jewelry, while green and blue tourmalines are used as men's jewelry. Those with many internal defects and large particles are mostly used for carving jewelry. Among gem-grade tourmalines, rose red and purple red have the highest value, while pink has the lowest value. Blue tourmaline is rare, so its value is high. Tourmaline is very rich in color, and the gemstone industry divides tourmaline into different varieties according to color and special optical effects.
1. Red tourmaline: the general term for pink to red tourmaline. It is usually colored by lithium and manganese. Red tourmaline is a valuable commodity and the most popular variety among gem-grade tourmalines, mainly produced in Brazil and the United States.
2. Green tourmaline: yellow-green to dark green, blue-green and brown-green tourmalines. Usually colored with chromium, mainly produced in Brazil, Sri Lanka and Italy.
3. Blue tourmaline: the general name of light blue to dark blue tourmaline. Very rare, usually not easy to see, a rare violet was also found in the Brazilian state of Paleba.
4. Multicolor tourmaline: Because tourmaline ribbons are very developed, red and green ribbons often appear on a single crystal. Some tourmalines are red in the middle and green around, commonly known as watermelon tourmalines. There is also green in the middle and red around, collectively known as multicolor tourmaline.
5. Tourmaline cat's eye: Because tourmaline contains a large number of inclusions, when there are a large number of fibrous and tubular inclusions and linear cavities arranged in parallel, grinding into arc gems can show cat's eye effect. Common is green tourmaline cat's eye, and a few are other colors.
6. zoisite: Yellow, brown to brown (dark brown).
Zhu Zhen
Pearl is formed by wrapping foreign bodies with colloidal calcium carbonate compounds secreted by pearl oyster. The big round ones are the most expensive, and they are usually made into bead necklaces.
coral
Coral is an organic calcareous calcite secreted by coral. Red coral is commonly used in Buddhism.
Red chalcedony
Red chalcedony is an orange to red translucent chalcedony, in which red is caused by iron oxide. In the past, carnelian was rare because of its high hardness and difficult processing. At present, it is a low-priced gem because of its advanced technology and rich minerals.
Boli
Refers to the crystal. Also known as Sapo Hakka, Sapo Hakka, Sapo Hakka and Boli. "Hui Lin Yi Yin" Volume 4: "The ancient translation of the cloud is a water spirit, which is wrong. Although it looks like crystal, it has four colors: purple, white, red and blue, which is the best among treasures. Ruby is the most precious, followed by purple and white, such as clear sand, pure and flawless spots, and clouds are the fallacy that the author has been frozen for thousands of years. "
Liuli
It is an ancient Chinese legal material, which has been used for 2466 years. Since ancient times, it has been used exclusively by the royal family, and it has extremely strict grade requirements for users, so it is rare among the people.
Coloured glaze is known as the first of the five famous vessels in China (gold, silver, jade, colored glaze, ceramics and bronze) and one of the seven treasures of Buddhism. By the Ming dynasty, it was basically lost, only recorded in legends and novels of ghosts and gods. Friar Sand in The Journey to the West was expelled from heaven for breaking a glass lamp.
However, even in the Ming Dynasty, very incomplete craftsmanship was still protected by the hierarchy. At that time, the glass was very opaque, so it was called medicinal jade. "Ming system" contains: the accessories awarded by the emperor to the champion are medicinal jade, which can only be matched with more than four products.
At present, there are many products in the name of Qibao in many handicraft markets, except beeswax and amber, which are all fake and natural because of scarce resources and high prices. Others are very cheap in terms of material sources.