在中国，玉从来不止是美石：它是礼天地四方的法器，是君子德行的镜鉴，也是深入语言血脉的意象。本编依《周礼》陈六器之制，依《说文》述五德之譬，并辑玉之成语，以见其文化之深广。 In China, jade was never merely a beautiful stone: it was the liturgical instrument that honoured Heaven and Earth, the mirror of the gentleman's virtue, and an image woven into the very bloodstream of the language. This volume sets out the six implements after the Rites of Zhou, the five virtues after the Shuowen, and a garland of jade idioms.
《周礼·春官·大宗伯》："以玉作六器，以礼天地四方：以苍璧礼天，以黄琮礼地，以青圭礼东方，以赤璋礼南方，以白琥礼西方，以玄璜礼北方。"The Rites of Zhou ordains: "With jade are made the six implements, to honour Heaven, Earth and the four quarters — the azure bi for Heaven, the yellow cong for Earth, the green gui for the East, the red zhang for the South, the white hu for the West, the black huang for the North."
苍璧礼天，圆象天穹Azure disc for Heaven's dome
黄琮礼地，外方内圆Yellow tube for Earth — square without, round within
青圭礼东，锋象春生Green tablet for the East, edged like the spring shoot
赤璋礼南，半圭之形Red half-tablet for the South
白琥礼西，虎形之符White tiger token for the West
玄璜礼北，半璧之弧Black half-disc arc for the North
许慎《说文解字》："玉，石之美者，有五德。"孔子于《礼记·聘义》更演为十一德，谓"君子比德于玉"。Xu Shen's Shuowen Jiezi: "Jade is the fairest of stones, and possesses five virtues." Confucius, in the Book of Rites, unfolds them into eleven — for "the noble compare virtue to jade."
润泽以温，仁之方也Soft sheen and warmth — the manner of benevolence
鰓理自外，可以知中Its veins tell truly of what lies within
其声舒扬，专以远闻Its note carries clear and far when struck
不挠而折，勇之方也It breaks before it bends — the manner of courage
锐廉而不忮，洁之方也Sharp-edged yet wounding none — the manner of purity
君子比德于玉焉：温润而泽，仁也。The noble compare virtue to jade: warm, smooth and lustrous — like benevolence itself.《礼记 · 聘义》 孔子CONFUCIUS · BOOK OF RITES, PIN YI
汉语以"玉"入词者数以百计，德行、品格、姻缘、气节，无不以玉为喻——玉早已由礼器化入语言之血脉。Chinese counts jade idioms by the hundred — for virtue, character, marriage and integrity alike. Long ago the ritual stone passed into the bloodstream of the language itself.
出《北齐书》。宁保气节而亡，不苟且以全——以玉之碎喻志士之节。From the Book of Northern Qi: better to perish in integrity than survive in disgrace — the martyr's creed, spoken in jade.
蔺相如奉璧入秦、完璧而归。今谓原物无损、璧还其主。Lin Xiangru carried the Heshibi into Qin and brought it home unharmed; now said of anything returned whole to its rightful owner.
品行高洁、纤尘不染之谓，以冰玉双喻，极言其清。Of character immaculate and undefiled — ice and jade doubled, purity beyond purity.
姻缘之至美者。《红楼梦》以"金玉"对"木石"，遂成姻缘之典。The perfect match. In the Dream of the Red Chamber "gold and jade" answers "wood and stone", and the phrase became the emblem of destined marriage.
出《诗经·小雅》。借他人之长，砺自身之器——玉赖石攻，人赖师友。From the Book of Songs: the strengths of others grind one's own vessel fine — as jade is polished by foreign stone.
以浅陋引高明之谦辞，今为论学发端之常语。To offer one's rough brick that others may answer with jade — the scholar's modest opening, in daily use to this day.