Page 88 - Oriental Series Japan and China, Brinkly

CHINA

palate. These qualities the Chien-yao exhibited in
the highest degree. Thick enough to prevent the

tea from cooling rapidly, its pate was of such a nature

as not to convey the heat of the beverage to the

drinker's hand or lips, while its glaze not only offered

a pleasant contrast to the bright green of the pow-

dered tea, but was also admirable for its own sake.

In truth, the glaze of the Chien-yao deserves great

praise. On a ground of mirror-black are seen shift-

ing tints of purple and blue reflections of deep
;

green, like the glassy colour of the raven's wing ;

lines of soft silver, regular as hair and sometimes,
;

in specimens of later date, the decoration takes the
form of conventional Phoenixes, butterflies, maple-

leaves, and so forth, in golden brown of the most

satisfying richness and beauty. All these designs
and tints possess the same property as that described

in the case of spotted celadon they seem to float in

the glaze. In short, the Chien-yao, though its pate

remained always a rather coarse stone-ware, must be

ranked, for the sake of its glaze, as a triumph of

keramic skill. The most dexterous workmen of later

times failed to imitate it. During the past five cen-
turies, cups of this ware have been almost indispensa-

ble to the Japanese chajin. Before the nation turned,

fourteen years ago, from its life of luxurious refine-
ment, a single specimen of the best varieties com-
manded a price of from fifteen hundred to two

thousand dollars.

In the Tao-lu it is stated that the choicest speci-

mens of Chien-yao were generally in the form of
bowls with narrow bases and wide mouths. Those

in which the black glaze was spotted with " yellowish
pearls," technically compared in colour to the fur of