Page 224 - Oriental Series Japan and China, Brinkly

CHINA

cessors of the Hsuan-te and Chia-ching eras. The

Chien-lung potters evidently appreciated this. For
instead of relying entirely on brilliancy and inten-
sity of colour, they tried to heighten the effect of

their blues by stippling. In many cases the stippled

portions assumed a metallic appearance under the
action of heat; in others they showed merely as
spots of intenser colour. Strength and density were
thus obtained at some cost of depth and brilliancy.

Opinions will probably differ as to this verdict. It

is conceivable that some connoisseurs may see evi-

dences of high artistic instinct in the deep, intense
tones of the Chien-lung ware. Certain it is that

many grand pieces were manufactured, imposing in

size, decorated with admirable care and well di-

rected choice of motive, and altogether highly satis-
factory for ornamental purposes.

It is not difficult to distinguish between the blue-
and-white porcelains of Chien-lung and those of

Kang-hsi and Tung-ching. The stippled or spotted

appearance of the colour on specimens of the first-
named period, whether a beauty or a blemish, is an

easily identified feature. The mark of the era is Ta-

Tsing Chien-lung nien chi.

The Chien-lung potters produced all the other va-

rieties of decoration under the glaze enumerated in

the above notice of the Kang-hsi era. No further

reference is necessary here.

The succeeding eras of the present ( Tsing) dynasty
may be briefly dismissed. They differ from each

other only in degrees of decadence. During the
Chia-tsing epoch (17961821), which immediately
followed that of Chien-lung, the potteries at Ching-
te-chen still sustained something of their former repu-