Page 448 - Chinese Porcelain Vol II, Galland

KEEN-LUNG.
438
of short ropes and a piece of flat stick, placing the latter across
the chest. No other method of haulage is allowed, so as to
make sure of a certain number of the inhabitants finding
"
Du Halde : These in some
employment. says ropes places
are made of hemp, and in others of very long and fine splinters
of cane twisted, which are exceedingly strong, and never rot with
the water." Marco Polo also describes these cane ropes ; but
in his were allowed to use horses, now three men are
day they
to be to one horse.
supposed equal
No. 754. Eggshell plate. Diameter, 8% inches ; height,
1 inch. No mark. This is a very carefully painted plate.
To begin with, there is a black ring at the edge followed by a
Then comes the border the rim, on
gilt ring. pink covering
which is painted, in blue and red, the usual octagon and square
work so common in this class ; but, after this, we have a new
feature in the spiral band, which seems to consist of three gilt
and black strands twining round a white centre. The three
reserves marked off by blue and gilt bars are filled with fruit
and flowers, while the three ornaments consist of a blue lotus
on a yellow ground. The decoration in the middle is very
charming, and consists of beautifully coloured flowers dropped
on the china in the same way as the pieces covered all over
"
in this manner, and known as those of the thousand flowers."
The two butterflies are in various coloured enamels.
No. 755. Kuby-backed eggshell dish. Diameter, 7| inches ;
height, 1^ inch. At the edge, within two black rings, there
"
is a pink band with trellis-work. Below this comes blue Y "
diaper- work, broken by six pointed ornaments marked off by
band and filled with and
gilt alternately pink, green, yellow,
all covered with the usual and work. Then
octagon square
follows a black below which comes a border with
ring, green
trellis-work succeeded by a gilt ring. Flowers and fruit in
the centre, seemingly pomegranate and citron.
No. 756. Eggshell dish. Diameter, 8J inches; height, 1J
inch. Originally part of a tea-set, the decoration seems some-
what out of the common, consisting of a almost
landscape
entirely painted in green, relieved only by a little blue enamel
here and there, and the brown trunks of the trees, the pink
and yellow in the dresses of the men being almost too faint to
be noticed. The two bands at the are in bistre and
edge sepia.