Miscellany of ancient jade (two) plate finger

On the occasion of the Olympic Games, a friend talked about wanting to get a plate finger to play archery, and found it interesting, so I organized a detailed description. Many people think that the plate finger is the trigger bowstring, in order not to strangle the hand of a tool. From the origin of the function is correct, but now often see the trigger finger, are "Wen trigger finger", you think about wearing such a thing, finger bend a little bit of effort, how to trigger the bow and arrow ah? Early years of the trigger bowstring trigger finger, called "martial arts trigger finger", whether it is material, or shape, are very different.

Trigger finger originated in the archery tool, wear a thumb, right below the slot, buckle the bowstring in order to pull the arrow. The role is to prevent the release of arrows, the rapid draw back of the bowstring rubbing fingers. Because the function is similar to that of a trigger, it is also known as a "machine". The Shuo Wen Wei Bu (说文-韦部): "The archer's thumb ring is also used for archery. The right thumb ring of the artist's right thumb ring." It was first seen in the Shang Dynasty (17th to 11th centuries BC), and was mostly made of elephant bone and jade.

The earliest supplies with the function and shape of the trigger finger were discovered in the Yinxu Women's Tomb. By the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period is very popular to use the trigger finger. To the Ming Dynasty, the famous general Qi Jiguang, had a clear "machine" as the name of the trigger finger. Because the utility of the trigger finger, and the role of the ancient crossbow is similar. Both are to pull the string, accumulate the power of the bow body, and then release the bow (crossbow) string, firing arrows.

The traditional Han trigger finger from the side view is trapezoidal, that is, high on one side and low on the other, while the Mongolian and Manchu trigger finger is generally cylindrical. Slope-shaped trigger finger appeared earlier, the earliest still have string groove, later canceled. In China, the Han Chinese slope-shaped trigger finger has been used until the Ming Dynasty.

The Qing dynasty emperors attached importance to riding and shooting, especially in the early Qing dynasty, the eight banners of the martial arts style. The children of the eight banners before the age of 20, it is customary to go to the bow room of the flag to exercise bow and arrow.

Because of the need to wear a trigger finger when pulling the bow, so the Manchu children of the Eight Banners at that time, basically manpower a Sumeru not to leave the body, called "Bean to Bean" in Manchu.

Early trigger finger function for moose antler production. Because moose antlers have many small hollow holes, lightweight and breathable. This is used to draw the bow and arrow utility trigger finger, is what we commonly known today as the "martial arts trigger finger".

However, to the middle and late, Cheng Ping day long, once with the martial arts as a companion trigger finger, turned into jewelry. Become the upper eight banners children to boast of the thing, collectively known as the "Wen trigger finger".

In the movie and TV series, Yongzheng master stroked the jade trigger finger in his hand, smilingly looking at the ministers of the audience, is no longer a function of the bow and arrow, but a kind of identity and majesty of the present.

From the initial practical tools, gradually evolved into jewelry, with the Qing dynasty social culture has an inextricable relationship, from the side of the Qing dynasty reflects the trajectory of development. It is also because of the characteristics of the jewelry Wenqi, has been popularized, after all, on the good, the next must be even! The so-called Beilei Master three treasures, plate finger walnut cage bird, popular for a while.

From the archaeological excavation data research judgment, practical archer's thumb ring gradually evolved into a decorative jade pendant, is in line with the law. The jade thumb ring unearthed from the tomb of the Women's Good Fortune not only can be put on the thumb, but also can be used for hooking the string, should be a practical product or the original large imitation of the utility tool carving. During the Zhou Dynasty, archer's thumb rings became popular for decorative purposes, and continued into the Han Dynasty, entering its heyday. However, the archer's thumb ring was rarely seen after the Wei and Jin dynasties until the mid- to late-Qing period, when it returned to being a short, tubular finger. From the archer's thumb ring to the archer's thumb ring to the jade plate finger, there is a clear outline that accounts for the ins and outs, and also presents the course of growth, prosperity, and decline.

The Shang dynasty emphasized utility, and the shape of Western Zhou wares began to change; although similar in appearance, the overall height was drastically reduced to about half that of Shang wares.

The shape of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period is similar to that of the Shang and Zhou dynasties, with a chicken heart cross-section from the top and a rounded bottom. The entire vessel is shorter, with a distinctly pointed projection from the center of the upper end and a stalk-like protuberance tilted upward on one side, occasionally carved in the form of a phoenix head. The Warring States period tends to be flatter relative to the Spring and Autumn period, and is also an evolutionary trend.

Early in the Western Han, it was already flattened like a flake, with raised decoration on both sides, carved with phoenixes or simplified phoenixes, and occasionally with chi dragons or translucent carving. It is clearly a decorative pendant jade, and the center hole is also very small, because there is no longer a need to set the finger. By the middle period, the convex decoration on both sides is more elaborate and visually stunning. In the late period, the body appears to be long and narrow, sometimes the center hole is also made into an oval shape, and the convex decoration is developed into a full package.

After East Han Dynasty, the archer's thumb ring tended to decline, with intermittent imitations by later generations, such as the Song and Ming, and almost all of them were piece-shaped flat objects. It was not until the mid to late Qing dynasty that the archer's thumb ring reappeared.

A table by Yang Jianfang's teacher and student is recommended to show the evolutionary trajectory more clearly.

The history and evolution of the inheritance are finished, you can roughly understand, now common plate finger belongs to the "Wen plate finger" all the way to play and enjoy. In the past two days and play archery friends to talk, surprised to find that the original they are still using, the shape should be similar to the war Han slope type, there are also cylindrical, but the ends will be slightly convex. That is to say, both the traditional type of Han transmission, or the set type of mounted peoples, there is a modern continuation. But the general material will not use jade, after all, precious, broken or chipped fly, an arrow through the heart ......

As for the wearing of the text plate finger, many antique store owners are also confused, many wear the opposite. The two ends of the plate finger a convex and concave, convex end toward the root of the finger, concave end heavy on. As for why? Still want to talk about the history along, the hair end is a utility tool, archery use. The concave end is on the top, so that the thumb can bend comfortably to hook the string; the convex end is inward, the string slides out along the beveled surface at the moment of shooting.

When you wear it, don't go all the way to the bottom, leave a gap at the base of your thumb, after all, you still have to think about a space to hook the string, right?

After talking so much, take a break, organized part of the collection of the board finger, together with the eye addiction!

All finished, thank you!

The whole article is finished.