Page 109 - Oriental Series Japan and China, Brinkly

THE CELADON

pieces of gold, or about a hundred and fifty thousand

pounds sterling. At any rate, the specimen was

unanimously elevated to the rank of a standard, and

thenceforth the best pieces of celadon were designated

Kinuta-Seiji. At about the same time, another variety,
of scarcely inferior quality, made its appearance. Its

pate and lustre were equal to those of the Kinuta class,

but the colour was a little deeper, and many of the
specimens had designs in relief or incised. The pat-

tern held in the highest favour represented a scroll of

peonies, but choice pieces, both in this and the former

variety, were also distinguished by two fishes on the
bottom, in high relief. This ware received the name

of Tenriu-Seiji, in allusion to the fact that the first vase

which came to Japan was presented to the Temple
Aof Tenriu.
third variety the sea-green of West-

ern collectors had coarse pate, deeper and less deli-

cate colour, and thicker glaze than either the Kinuta

or Tenriuji. This was called the Shichi-kan-Seiji, a

name derived from the rank of an whoofficial first

imported it into Japan. It is distinguished from the
more prized varieties by its fuller green tint as well
as by its greater solidity and heaviness.

Many are the pieces of celadon that have been

handed down, as priceless heirlooms, from generation
to generation in Japanese families. One, which still

forms the gem of a well-known nobleman's fine

collection, is the Chidori no koro, or Peewit Censer.

Originally the property of the Regent Yoshimasa, it
afterwards came into the possession of Hideyoshi, the
Taiko, whose life it is said to have saved by a miracu-

lous power of uttering a warning cry when danger
was at hand. The legend relates that supernatural
quality was firmly credited by the men of the time,

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