Page 29 - Catalogue of the Edward Morse collection of Japanese pottery MFA BOSTON

INTRODUCTION ;
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bird, wind and tiger, cloud and dragon, waterfall and carp, millet and quail,
deer and maple, rain and swallow or willow and swallow, bamboo and spar-
row, and crane and tortoise. Some of these typify aspiration, long life, and
good fortune; others, the delights of nature, the beauty of spring, etc.
Other associations of objects occur, as the well-known sho-chiku-bai, repre-
sented by a flower-pot in which are pine, plum, bamboo, and precious coral.
The four wise men of Confucius are typified by the ran (an orchid), chrys-
anthemum, bamboo, and plum ; the three stages of nature, by conventional
figures of the moon, snowflake, and flower. At New Year's a favorite
present consists of the orange and dried persimmon, accompanied by the
usual folded paper, called noshi. Among these various symbols, those
suggesting longevity, good fortune, riches, and New Year's festivities are
most often seen.
Sports and Games

The Japanese have many forms of indoor and outdoor pleasures, such as
games, picnics, tournaments, and the like. Among these may be men-
tioned games of authors and other card games ; go, chess, battledore and
shuttlecock, music, poetry, writing, tea ceremonies, painting, archery, fen-
cing, polo, hawking, hunting, fishing, and many other forms of enjoyment.
These are variously depicted on pottery, either by the sketch of the game,
play, or act, or, what is more usual, a suggestion is given by drawing the
utensil, instrument, or other object used. The poet at the foot of a water-
fall is being inspired to write some apostrophe; a reel and line suggest
fishing ; a jug of sake, being warmed over a fire with maple leaves for fuel,
tells the story of a picnic ; a bamboo spoon and stirrer call up the tranquil
pleasures of the tea ceremony ; and so with other objects the various doings
are fully brought to the mind.

Festivals
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There are many festivals among the Japanese, coming at certain stated
times of the year, — a festival for boys ; the Feast of Dolls, a girl's festival
and others to celebrate the blooming of certain flowers, and New Year's
Day, of course. Objects associated with these and other festivals are used
in decoration. A bowl to be given on New Year's Day will bear the decora-
tion of a red lobster and the green leaves of a bamboo grass. The lobster
conveys the wish that the recipient may live to that age when his back
becomes bent like the lobster; and the sasa, or bamboo, conveys the wish of
long life.