Page 108 - Oriental Series Japan and China, Brinkly

CHINA

or the Lung-Chuan-yao of the Sung dynasty, no speci-
mens in Japanese possession can be confidently traced
farther back than the fifteenth century, that is, to say,

two hundred years subsequent to the time when Chao

Jukua wrote. This uncertainty, however, must not
be taken as indicating that no such specimens had
found their way to Japan. It is a question simply

of traditional and historical deficiencies. What is

beyond doubt is that so soon as the Regent Yoshi-
masa's (1490) cultivation of the tea ceremonials
turned popular fancy into the direction of dilletan-
teism, a part of the best outcome of the Chinese fac-

tories was diverted to Japan. The luxurious old

ruler did not allow political conventionalities to

interfere with the gratification of his new hobby.

When he wanted a specimen of this or that ware,

he despatched a special envoy to the Middle King-
dom, ostensibly to convey Japan's good wishes to its
rulers, but really to bring back the coveted piece.

Among these importations was a vase in shape and

size closely resembling a fuller's mallet (Japanese
kinuta}. It was of fine clay, whiter and harder than
the pate of previous specimens, and the colour of its
perfectly uniform, velvety glaze was greenish blue

of wonderful depth and delicacy. To Japanese con-

noisseurs this piece seemed to stand at the summit of
keramic skill. After it had remained for a time in

Yoshimasa's collection at Higashi-yama, it was placed

among the treasures of the Temple of Todaiji,
whence, more than a century later, it passed into

the possession of lyeyasu, the great founder of the

Tokugawa Dynasty. There is a tradition that this

prince, being in need of funds for military purposes,

pledged the wonderful vase for a sum of ten thousand

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