Page 289 - Chinese porcelains collected by Mr. and Mrs. Charles P. Taft, Cincinnati, Ohio, by John Getz
P. 289
GLOSSARY
Many of the technical terms are explained in other parts of this book.
Accomplishments, the four (of the Chinese Bats are constantly depicted on porcelain.
Looked upon as of good omen, when five bats
scholar), music, chess, calligraphy, auid painting,
often represented on porcelain. Wu(" fu ") are grouped together it signifies the
AMITABHA, the most popular Buddha, both in five blessings, longevity, riches, love of virtue,
China and Japan, dating from the third century serenity, and an end crowning life ; the Chinese
of our era (it is only since the fifth century that character for " bat " and " happiness " having
he has been placed in the foreground in China). the same pronunciation.
Anutabha is supposed to preside with Kwan-
yin over the Paradise in the West, where the Biscuit is the product of unglazed paste of porce-
good may enjoy long ages of rest. See S'akya- lain which has been baked in a kiln.
muni.
Blanc DE Chine, white-glazed porcelain with-
ARHATS (a Sanskrit term mccming " worthy " or
out a colored decoration or painting.
" deserving "). the immediate disciples of Bud-
dha. The Chinese increased their number from BOCCARO Ware : a name applied to red or
sixteen to eighteen (Lohan) during the T'ang
dynasty. The last two enrolled are constantly brown Chinese pottery, which may be dec-
represented apart h:om the others, their attributes
being the tiger and dragon. The Arhat is the Onorated in enamel colors or lacquer. the
perfect Arya, attained only by passing through
the different degrees of sainthood, and implies most ancient specimens the surface shows a
the possession of supernatural powers.
patinated effect like old bronze.
Armorial Porcelain: during the period of
Body, or Paste, the porcelain substance of
K'ang-hsi and, later, under Yung-cheng and
Ch'ien-lung, it became customary for nobles and which an object is made. See Paste.
wealthy individuals in Europe to order porce-
lains made in China bearing their family arms. Brocaded Pattern, a term applied where
Among these may be found the arms of dis- the ground or field is covered with 2in all-over
design in arabesques, or with flowers and foliage
tinguished families of Ejigland and France and in two or more colors, copied sometimes from
the provinces of the Netherlands. rich textile motives.
Aubergine, a purple or plum-colored glazing Buddhism, called in China the religion of " Fo,"
derived from the oxide of manganese : aptly
named by the French. Us tint resembles the was introduced into that country during the first
rind of an egg-plant. century A.D. Its favorable reception was
Bamboo (" Chu ") is an emblem of longevity due largely to its tenets, which allowed the in-
"
(owing to its durability) frequently depicted Thecorporation of strange deities.
first " Siitra
on porcelain. The bamboo grove was the
was translated into Chinese in the year A.D.
resort for scholars in former times.
67, during the time of the later or Eastem Han
dynasty, by Kas'yapa Matanga, a disciple of
S'akyamuni, who entered China with Han
Ming-ti's embassy on its return from Badakshan.
By its means the Buddhist doctrines first became
known in China. Such translations from the
Sansknt form the earliest and still continue to
be the most important part of Chinese Bud-
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