Page 171 - Oriental Series Japan and China, Brinkly

PORCELAIN DECORATED

outside ; three rams as emblems of spring, sang y an k'ai fai,

inside.

Dishes with nine dragons and flowers, outside; clouds and
dragons above a border of sea-waves, inside.

Dishes with sea-waves enveloping flying lions and dragons
holding up the characters for happiness and longevity.

Dishes with four Taoists, outside ; cranes flying in clouds.
Dishes with clouds and dragons, outside ; the eight Taoist

immortals worshipping the god of longevity, inside.
Boxes with covers for holding fruit, with cranes and drag-

ons flying among clouds.

Boxes with fabulous lions and dragons.
Boxes with dragons and phoenixes and a group of immor-
tals worshipping the emblem of longevity.
Large Bowls for gold-fish, decorated with a pair of dragons.
Fish Bowls with dragons and clouds painted inside.
Large Wine Vessels of oval form decorated with sprays
of lotus supporting the eight precious symbols and the
eight Buddhist emblems, a balance weighing gold, and play-

ing children.

Wine Vessels with sprays of lotus supporting the hundred

forms of the longevity character.

This list unfortunately gives no indication of the
nature of the wares enumerated. But it is safe to

conclude that the greater part, if not the whole, were
of the soft-paste (Kai-pieri} variety. Porcelain sup-
plied for use in the imperial palace would naturally
be of the choicest kind.

The Tao-lu alludes in the following terms to the

blue-and-white porcelain of the Chia-ching era :

" Vases in blue monochrome, manufactured with the

Mohammedan mineral, were alone in favour, on ac-

count of the charming tone of their deep-coloured
glaze. For the same reason vases painted with blue
flowers of the Chia-ching era also enjoyed considerable

reputation."

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