Page 86 - Oriental Series Japan and China, Brinkly

CHINA

my grammatical instinct, adopted the second rendering, since
I have seen a Sung specimen bearing the number wu (five)
as a trade mark. The description given by Fortune (A

Residence among the Chinese, London, 1857, p. 86) of 'the
'

most ancient examples of porcelain apparently refers to this

class of Chiin-yao.

Referring to the caution that pieces showing mixed
colours, owing to being imperfectly fired, should not
be distinguished as different kinds, he says :

As is done in Julien's translation (pp. 74 and 75), where

seven classes are named, viz., (i) Mei-tzu-ch'ing or * green

H'

or blue, like plums ;
(2) Chia-pi-tzu or * purple brown, like

the egg-plant fruit' (see above) ; (3) ai-tlang-hung or 'red,
' '
like the Japanese (4) Chu-kan or ' (see
pear ; liver
pig's

above) ; (5) Lo fei or ( mule's lungs ' ; (6) Pi-ti or ' mucus '

(see above) ; and (7) T'ien-lan or c blue.' The Ch'ing-

sky

pi-tsang says : c Of Chiin-chou porcelains the best quality

consists of pieces that are red like rouge ; the second quality

is green (ch'ing) like onion leaves and kingfisher's plumage,

and brown or purple like ink. Pieces that are of a pure

colour and contain one or two numbers as marks on the

bottom, are superior ; pieces that show mixed colours are in
no demand.'

Dr. Bushell corrects a portion of the above render-

ings. In his review of Dr. Hirth's pamphlet, he
" Dr. Hirth translates
writes : ' Among these

porcelains, those which have bottoms like the flower-

pots in which sword-grass is grown, are considered

the most excellent the others, viz., those which have
;

bottoms like ton-shaped censers, Ho-fang jugs, or

Kuan-tsu,' &c. I would render it, ' Among these

porcelains the flower-pots and saucers for growing

sword-grass are the most beautiful the others, viz.,
;

the barrel-seats, censers and boxes, square vases and

jars with covers,' &c. These things are all well