Page 91 - Oriental Series Japan and China, Brinkly

THE CELADON

Chapter IV
THE CELADON

far, this examination of early Chinese

wares may be said to have led to three con-

I clusions. First, up to the end of the
thirteenth century, Chinese keramic ex-

perts, of deliberate choice, preferred pate tendre or

stone-ware to hard porcelain biscuit. The latter

they were probably able to produce : indeed, some

specimens of later Ting-yao may be placed in this

category. But the former lent itself better to the

solid, rich, and lustrous monochromatic glazes so

much affected by the Sung potters. Secondly, the

variety of wares produced in these early centuries of

the art's history was not large. With one exception

the Chun-yao monochromes alone were es-

teemed. The principal colours were green, verging

more or less on blue white, of different shades
; ;

purple ; cinamon red, and black. These mono-

chromes were ornamented with designs incised or in

relief, more or less elaborate, and in the great major-

ity of cases copied from ancient bronzes. Thirdly,

among the wares of the period, celadons were facile
Principes. The potter's constant and highest aim was

to produce the peculiar greenish cerulean glaze which

had its origin in the Chai-yao of the tenth century.

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