Evolution of the Ruyi Scepter
Some experts speculate that the ruyi scepter came to China along with the Buddhism from ancient India in the Eastern Han period (25-220 CE). Called Anuruddha, the ruyi scepter originally was a monk's tool for scratching. In Buddhist classics, it is one item in a monk's paraphernalia. The other three things are an ear pick, a tongue-scraping tool, and a walking staff with rings.
However, some materials suggest that the ruyi scepter is not a foreign import since a scratching tool existed before the Han dynasty. Recent archaeological finds provide several objects including two of the Eastern Zhou (eleventh century BCE -770 BCE) unearthed from ancient cities of the Lu Kingdom in Shandong province. One end of these objects likes palms, the fingers of which are curling. With column handles, they are thought to have been scratching tools and the earliest examples of the ruyi scepter's traditional form. The Unauthorized Biography of Hu Zong (Hu Zong biezhuan) of the Three Kingdoms period (220-280) recorded that the ruler of the Wu kingdom Sun Quan found a white jade ruyi scepter. But no one knew its history. So the ruler asked Hu Zong who was a knowledgeable person. Hu Zong said that the ruyi scepter was embedded by the first emperor of the Qin dynasty (r. 221 BCE -210 BCE) when he was the crown prince and hoped it could bring him good fortune. Although the origin of this piece may be not accurate, this is the earliest story on the ruyi scepter, displaying that people at that time thought ruyi scepter an important thing.
The word "ruyi" was from common people. The Han dynasty emperor Gaozu (r. 206 BCE -195 BCE) named the Qi concubine's son "As you wish" (ruyi) because he loved him, showing that at least in the Han dynasty and perhaps even earlier this was an auspicious term. In early translations of Buddhist sutras from Sanskrit, ruyi was used to represent monks' objects. We can speculate that an object called ruyi (which existed prior to Indian monks coming to China) had the same function as the Indian scratching tool, and further that Buddhism contributed to the development of the ruyi scepter because it highly influenced Chinese traditional life, culture, and ideology. Both the Longmen Grottoes and the Dunhuang Murals have images of ruyi scepters.
Since "ruyi" is a good word and has close relationship with Buddhism, the ruyi scepter gradually changes from a tool to a precious object, becoming the gift with best wishes between nobles.
The Xiaowen Emperor of the Northern Wei period (r. 471- 499) determined his sons' favors and ambitions through seeing which thing they chose. The Prince Yuanke (the Xuanwu Emperor, r. 500-515) who picked up a ruyi scepter became the next emperor. This story suggests that the ruyi scepter was important in the imperial life, even influencing the choice of next emperor.
Meaning and Function of the Ruyi Scepter
The ruyi scepter has different functions to various people. Most ones considered a piece the symbol of power or at least the authority to speak. The following examples illustrate the meaning and functions of the ruyi scepter in different periods.
In the first half of the first century, covering the Eastern Jin period to Southern era, well educated people loved to discuss philosophic issues. They usually held horsetail whisks or ruyi scepters during talking. Meanwhile, the ruyi scepter was no longer a monk's daily tool, but a Buddhist ritual object. An eminent monk could deliver a sermon if he holds a ruyi scepter which represents his power and high status. Because of the fashion, some Bodhisattva statues made later even held ruyi scepters in hands. Therefore, the ruyi scepter started to contain auspicious and intellectual meaning.
· Once an eminent Indian monk used a ruyi scepter to wake up a sleeping tiger which was not listening to his sermon. A monk at the Yuquan Monastery held a ruyi scepter in his dying minutes. In the Northern Zhou period (557-581), the Wu Emperor conducted a public debate about abolishing Buddhism. Monks gave a ruyi scepter to Zhi Xuan who was selected as a delegate. Holding it, he gently sat down and began his statement, displaying his noble character. At such serious moment, monks still focused on the ruyi scepter. This story illustrates the meaning of "authority to speak" and reveals that it was significant for the Buddhist ritual events.
Wang Rong holding a ruyi scepter in molded-bricks: The Seven Worthies of the Bamboo
· The use of ruyi in religion further raised its importance as a symbol of power. In the fifth century, ruyi scepters were held by literati and aristocrats to show their special social status. In the collection of the Nanjing Museum, a set of molded-bricks from a tomb of the Eastern Jin (317-420) portray the "Seven Worthies of Bamboo Grove" who were outstanding literati enjoying leisure life. One named Wang Rong is holding a ruyi scepter. (Three Thousand Years of Chinese Painting, P48) He was not the only one who had this auspicious object because it was very popular among aristocrats.
· Chen Kui was considered talented at logical debate and wanted to engage with him. However, Chen Kui looked down upon those people and declined to argue with them. Thus, with his face leaning on a ruyi scepter, he looked on the ancient battle field of the Three Kingdoms period and groaned that Sun Ce (the first ruler of the Wu Kingdom) could not realize his ambition, but did not say anything related to the theme.
· Wang Dun who lived during the Eastern Jin (317-420) tapped a spittoon with a ruyi scepter and sang to express his ambitions.
· During the Southern Dynasties (420-589), King Gao of the Qi Kingdom had an iron ruyi scepter made to protect himself against attacks. Although this is a rare example, the story shows that ruyi scepters appeared quite frequently in the daily lives of aristocrats.
· The Yongxing Princess, who was the daughter of the Wu Emperor of the Liang Kingdom (520-557), was overbearing and licentious. After her husband complained, the emperor was very angry and heavily beat his daughter's back with a ruyi scepter.
· The Tang dynasty emperor Taizong (r. 627-649) once gave a rhinoceros horn ruyi scepter to Li Xun who helped to wipe out evil eunuchs and some military commissioners (fanzhen). The emperor called that ruyi scepter "authority to speak" (tan bing) which actually was a symbol of power, and hoped that his right-hand official would enjoy good fortune.
· On occasion, the ruyi scepter was a commander's baton for controlling troops. Commander Wei Mu of the Liang kingdom (502-557) could not ride a horse on the battlefield due to physical weakness. Sitting in a wood sedan chair, he commanded the army by waving a ruyi scepter and defeated the enemy. The enemy called his troops the "Wei Tigers".
Although the ruyi scepter had many functions, it still retained its original form of a back scratcher with its beautiful "as-you-wish" name. Following the Tang dynasty, that is from the tenth century, the ruyi scepter and the back-scratching staff gradually diverged. The back scratcher was a tool made of simple materials and kept its original form. The ruyi scepter became an artifact without practical function, made of precious materials, with beautiful designs and auspicious meaning of ten-thousand things as you wish.
Materials Used for Ruyi Scepters
Ruyi scepters were made of various materials including jade, gold, iron, silver, ox horn, and crystal. Craftsmen also used other things such as jade crystal, amber, bamboo, bamboo root, and rhinoceros horn to carve. Ruyi scepters made of these materials all could be exemplified by the traditional records. At present, the storehouse of the Todaiji Temple in Japan's Nara city remained several luxuriant rhinoceros horn ruyi scepters of the Tang dynasty with gold or silver inlays. The rhinoceros horn was a common material for the slap-up pieces.
Formats of Ruyi Scepters
Ruyi scepters made after the second half of the first century were in the same forms with those of the Eastern Zhou era (770 BCE -221 BCE) which had palm-shaped heads. This type could be found in the traditional records and paintings. An exceptional one exists in Longmen Grottoes. In a painting, a lady holds a large ruyi scepter that is more than one meter long. The piece in this size is speculated a ritual object. The traditional images with ruyi scepters display their holding methods. People could hold a piece in one hand vertically, horizontally or sidelong. Some ruyi scepters are held in two hands or in arms. The direction of the head is not fixed, yet the fingers of the arm-shaped head primarily face the ground or opposite to the holder's body.
The Eclipse of Ruyi Scepters after the Tang dynasty
In the late Tang dynasty, the scholar-official society went to the end. The ruyi scepter which used to be a representative of their social statue became declined. After the reorganization of the dynastic society, the production of ruyi scepter nearly stopped during about five hundred years. Meanwhile, only a few records included ruyi scepters. Although the ruyi scepter was not very popular, it still had slightly changes. Its head was designed as the top of a longevity fungus. The handle becomes more gentle and elegant, having patterns and pearl inlays.
Up to the Ming dynasty, the literati recalled the tradition and re-favored the ruyi scepter as a plaything. People loved things with good meanings and hoped everything goes well. Thus a ruyi scepter was considered an auspicious object due to its good name.
Two Ghosts Presenting Auspicious Things (Suichao jiazhao tu) by the Ming Chenhua Emperor (r. 1465-1487)
In the collection of the Palace Museum, the existent ruyi scepters of the late Ming dynasty are made of various materials. Those made of bamboo and wood recall the traditional style. Since they were praised for noble characters, the upper class loved to store them.
Ruyi Scepters in the Palaces
Inside View of the Hall of Three Rarities (Sanxi tang)
In the Qing dynasty, especially from the Qianlong reign to the Empress Dowager Cixi period, the ruyi scepter reached its height. The imperial family ordered the imperial studio many scepters with various materials and forms. They display the highest levels in these fields at that time. Moreover, the ruyi scepter with some auspicious patterns was no longer a tool, but just a symbol of good luck that was used in all imperial ceremonies.
Officials presented ruyi scepters in honor of the New Year's Day and the imperial families' birthdays. From the middle period of the Qianlong reign (1736-1795), ruyi scepters, which usually had nine pieces in one set, were on the top of the officials' contributing lists. The emperors gave some to his officials and ambassadors as the most precious gifts. In the late Qing dynasty, ruyi scepters were used in the emperor's wedding. Some court painting of that time also displayed ruyi scepters.
A ruyi scepter on the throne of the western warmth in the Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin dian)
The ruyi scepter of the late Qing dynasty became a kind of jewelry as well as a symbol of wealth and power. For instance, the officials found 120 jade ruyi scepter and other 1601 pieces with jade inlays during taking He Sheen's stock, which were far more then 242 pieces in the imperial store.
In the late Qing dynasty, the ruyi scepter as well as other luxuriant artifacts came down. Except several ones, all had crude forms without any innovations.
Although ruyi scepter is a small object, the changes of its format reveal the development of the Chinese dynamic society.
Some experts speculate that the ruyi scepter came to China along with the Buddhism from ancient India in the Eastern Han period (25-220 CE). Called Anuruddha, the ruyi scepter originally was a monk's tool for scratching. In Buddhist classics, it is one item in a monk's paraphernalia. The other three things are an ear pick, a tongue-scraping tool, and a walking staff with rings.
However, some materials suggest that the ruyi scepter is not a foreign import since a scratching tool existed before the Han dynasty. Recent archaeological finds provide several objects including two of the Eastern Zhou (eleventh century BCE -770 BCE) unearthed from ancient cities of the Lu Kingdom in Shandong province. One end of these objects likes palms, the fingers of which are curling. With column handles, they are thought to have been scratching tools and the earliest examples of the ruyi scepter's traditional form. The Unauthorized Biography of Hu Zong (Hu Zong biezhuan) of the Three Kingdoms period (220-280) recorded that the ruler of the Wu kingdom Sun Quan found a white jade ruyi scepter. But no one knew its history. So the ruler asked Hu Zong who was a knowledgeable person. Hu Zong said that the ruyi scepter was embedded by the first emperor of the Qin dynasty (r. 221 BCE -210 BCE) when he was the crown prince and hoped it could bring him good fortune. Although the origin of this piece may be not accurate, this is the earliest story on the ruyi scepter, displaying that people at that time thought ruyi scepter an important thing.
The word "ruyi" was from common people. The Han dynasty emperor Gaozu (r. 206 BCE -195 BCE) named the Qi concubine's son "As you wish" (ruyi) because he loved him, showing that at least in the Han dynasty and perhaps even earlier this was an auspicious term. In early translations of Buddhist sutras from Sanskrit, ruyi was used to represent monks' objects. We can speculate that an object called ruyi (which existed prior to Indian monks coming to China) had the same function as the Indian scratching tool, and further that Buddhism contributed to the development of the ruyi scepter because it highly influenced Chinese traditional life, culture, and ideology. Both the Longmen Grottoes and the Dunhuang Murals have images of ruyi scepters.
Since "ruyi" is a good word and has close relationship with Buddhism, the ruyi scepter gradually changes from a tool to a precious object, becoming the gift with best wishes between nobles.
The Xiaowen Emperor of the Northern Wei period (r. 471- 499) determined his sons' favors and ambitions through seeing which thing they chose. The Prince Yuanke (the Xuanwu Emperor, r. 500-515) who picked up a ruyi scepter became the next emperor. This story suggests that the ruyi scepter was important in the imperial life, even influencing the choice of next emperor.
Meaning and Function of the Ruyi Scepter
The ruyi scepter has different functions to various people. Most ones considered a piece the symbol of power or at least the authority to speak. The following examples illustrate the meaning and functions of the ruyi scepter in different periods.
In the first half of the first century, covering the Eastern Jin period to Southern era, well educated people loved to discuss philosophic issues. They usually held horsetail whisks or ruyi scepters during talking. Meanwhile, the ruyi scepter was no longer a monk's daily tool, but a Buddhist ritual object. An eminent monk could deliver a sermon if he holds a ruyi scepter which represents his power and high status. Because of the fashion, some Bodhisattva statues made later even held ruyi scepters in hands. Therefore, the ruyi scepter started to contain auspicious and intellectual meaning.
· Once an eminent Indian monk used a ruyi scepter to wake up a sleeping tiger which was not listening to his sermon. A monk at the Yuquan Monastery held a ruyi scepter in his dying minutes. In the Northern Zhou period (557-581), the Wu Emperor conducted a public debate about abolishing Buddhism. Monks gave a ruyi scepter to Zhi Xuan who was selected as a delegate. Holding it, he gently sat down and began his statement, displaying his noble character. At such serious moment, monks still focused on the ruyi scepter. This story illustrates the meaning of "authority to speak" and reveals that it was significant for the Buddhist ritual events.
Wang Rong holding a ruyi scepter in molded-bricks: The Seven Worthies of the Bamboo · The use of ruyi in religion further raised its importance as a symbol of power. In the fifth century, ruyi scepters were held by literati and aristocrats to show their special social status. In the collection of the Nanjing Museum, a set of molded-bricks from a tomb of the Eastern Jin (317-420) portray the "Seven Worthies of Bamboo Grove" who were outstanding literati enjoying leisure life. One named Wang Rong is holding a ruyi scepter. (Three Thousand Years of Chinese Painting, P48) He was not the only one who had this auspicious object because it was very popular among aristocrats.
· Chen Kui was considered talented at logical debate and wanted to engage with him. However, Chen Kui looked down upon those people and declined to argue with them. Thus, with his face leaning on a ruyi scepter, he looked on the ancient battle field of the Three Kingdoms period and groaned that Sun Ce (the first ruler of the Wu Kingdom) could not realize his ambition, but did not say anything related to the theme.
· Wang Dun who lived during the Eastern Jin (317-420) tapped a spittoon with a ruyi scepter and sang to express his ambitions.
· During the Southern Dynasties (420-589), King Gao of the Qi Kingdom had an iron ruyi scepter made to protect himself against attacks. Although this is a rare example, the story shows that ruyi scepters appeared quite frequently in the daily lives of aristocrats.
· The Yongxing Princess, who was the daughter of the Wu Emperor of the Liang Kingdom (520-557), was overbearing and licentious. After her husband complained, the emperor was very angry and heavily beat his daughter's back with a ruyi scepter.
· The Tang dynasty emperor Taizong (r. 627-649) once gave a rhinoceros horn ruyi scepter to Li Xun who helped to wipe out evil eunuchs and some military commissioners (fanzhen). The emperor called that ruyi scepter "authority to speak" (tan bing) which actually was a symbol of power, and hoped that his right-hand official would enjoy good fortune.
· On occasion, the ruyi scepter was a commander's baton for controlling troops. Commander Wei Mu of the Liang kingdom (502-557) could not ride a horse on the battlefield due to physical weakness. Sitting in a wood sedan chair, he commanded the army by waving a ruyi scepter and defeated the enemy. The enemy called his troops the "Wei Tigers".
Although the ruyi scepter had many functions, it still retained its original form of a back scratcher with its beautiful "as-you-wish" name. Following the Tang dynasty, that is from the tenth century, the ruyi scepter and the back-scratching staff gradually diverged. The back scratcher was a tool made of simple materials and kept its original form. The ruyi scepter became an artifact without practical function, made of precious materials, with beautiful designs and auspicious meaning of ten-thousand things as you wish.
Materials Used for Ruyi Scepters
Ruyi scepters were made of various materials including jade, gold, iron, silver, ox horn, and crystal. Craftsmen also used other things such as jade crystal, amber, bamboo, bamboo root, and rhinoceros horn to carve. Ruyi scepters made of these materials all could be exemplified by the traditional records. At present, the storehouse of the Todaiji Temple in Japan's Nara city remained several luxuriant rhinoceros horn ruyi scepters of the Tang dynasty with gold or silver inlays. The rhinoceros horn was a common material for the slap-up pieces.
Formats of Ruyi Scepters
Ruyi scepters made after the second half of the first century were in the same forms with those of the Eastern Zhou era (770 BCE -221 BCE) which had palm-shaped heads. This type could be found in the traditional records and paintings. An exceptional one exists in Longmen Grottoes. In a painting, a lady holds a large ruyi scepter that is more than one meter long. The piece in this size is speculated a ritual object. The traditional images with ruyi scepters display their holding methods. People could hold a piece in one hand vertically, horizontally or sidelong. Some ruyi scepters are held in two hands or in arms. The direction of the head is not fixed, yet the fingers of the arm-shaped head primarily face the ground or opposite to the holder's body.
The Eclipse of Ruyi Scepters after the Tang dynasty
In the late Tang dynasty, the scholar-official society went to the end. The ruyi scepter which used to be a representative of their social statue became declined. After the reorganization of the dynastic society, the production of ruyi scepter nearly stopped during about five hundred years. Meanwhile, only a few records included ruyi scepters. Although the ruyi scepter was not very popular, it still had slightly changes. Its head was designed as the top of a longevity fungus. The handle becomes more gentle and elegant, having patterns and pearl inlays.
Up to the Ming dynasty, the literati recalled the tradition and re-favored the ruyi scepter as a plaything. People loved things with good meanings and hoped everything goes well. Thus a ruyi scepter was considered an auspicious object due to its good name.
Two Ghosts Presenting Auspicious Things (Suichao jiazhao tu) by the Ming Chenhua Emperor (r. 1465-1487) In the collection of the Palace Museum, the existent ruyi scepters of the late Ming dynasty are made of various materials. Those made of bamboo and wood recall the traditional style. Since they were praised for noble characters, the upper class loved to store them.
Ruyi Scepters in the Palaces
Inside View of the Hall of Three Rarities (Sanxi tang)In the Qing dynasty, especially from the Qianlong reign to the Empress Dowager Cixi period, the ruyi scepter reached its height. The imperial family ordered the imperial studio many scepters with various materials and forms. They display the highest levels in these fields at that time. Moreover, the ruyi scepter with some auspicious patterns was no longer a tool, but just a symbol of good luck that was used in all imperial ceremonies.
Officials presented ruyi scepters in honor of the New Year's Day and the imperial families' birthdays. From the middle period of the Qianlong reign (1736-1795), ruyi scepters, which usually had nine pieces in one set, were on the top of the officials' contributing lists. The emperors gave some to his officials and ambassadors as the most precious gifts. In the late Qing dynasty, ruyi scepters were used in the emperor's wedding. Some court painting of that time also displayed ruyi scepters.
A ruyi scepter on the throne of the western warmth in the Hall of Mental Cultivation (Yangxin dian) The ruyi scepter of the late Qing dynasty became a kind of jewelry as well as a symbol of wealth and power. For instance, the officials found 120 jade ruyi scepter and other 1601 pieces with jade inlays during taking He Sheen's stock, which were far more then 242 pieces in the imperial store.
In the late Qing dynasty, the ruyi scepter as well as other luxuriant artifacts came down. Except several ones, all had crude forms without any innovations.
Although ruyi scepter is a small object, the changes of its format reveal the development of the Chinese dynamic society.
(Author:Liu Yue)
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