Page 300 - Chinese porcelains collected by Mr. and Mrs. Charles P. Taft, Cincinnati, Ohio, by John Getz

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GLOSSARY
prepared color, and the decorator brings it
near the object and blows through the other
end ; this is repeated until the desired effect is
obtained.
SPUR-MARKS, generally three in number, seldom
on Chinese porcelain, but sometimes found on
the bottom of Japanese pieces, caused by the
- props after decoration or glazing.
Stork, the, is supposed to reach a fabulous age
it is one of the emblems of longevity, and is often
pictured on porcelain for this reason.
Supernatural. The four animals, according
to " Li Ki," one of the five Chinese classics, are
the feng (phoenix), the k'wei (tortoise), the lung
(dragon), and the lin (unicorn).
Swastika (" Wan "), Cross of Buddha, or Fylfot,
a mystic diagram of great antiquity, the special
mark of all deities worshiped by the lotus
school, and in China is regarded as the emblem
of Buddha's heart: generally used as a symbol
for long periods of time, and therefore an alle-
gory of the blessing of long life. The swastika,
or its form, is of vkade diffusion, and is found in
the rock temples of India as well as among all
Buddhistic people of Asia, and even aimong
—Teutonic races, an emblem of Thor.
Symbolic Fruits (three), the pomegranate,
peach, and " Buddha's-hand " citron, are sym-
bolic of three abundances, viz.: abundance of
years, abundance of sons, and abundance of
happiness.
THOUSAND-FLOWER Pattern, a temi ap-
plied to pieces where the entire ground is
covered with a profusion of varied flowers with
only here and there a leaf to break the uni-
formity of design and to afford relief. The
drawing in fine specimens produced under
Ch'ien-lung is done with the utmost accuracy,
cind the observation of details most minutely
correct.
Tiger ("Hu") the, is described as the king of
beasts, and the representative of the masculine
or active principle of nature, and figures in
Chinese art as one of the common Buddhistic
symbols. The tiger is also the special attribute
of the Taoist rishi Kii ling-jin and the steed of
WenTs'ai Lwan, or Liao, one of the four
sleepers.
124'
Triad of the Taoist cult, Fu, Lu, and Shou (San
Hsing),the three star-gods of Happiness, Rank,
and Longevity.
Vandyke Pattern, a term applied in Eng-
land to porcelain, decorated in blue, where the
motive shows borders with scalloped or lancet-
shaped outlines, and inclosing floral arabesques
like on the so-called lace pattern.
WaN-TSE, a symbolic device or mark, in diemiond
form, appearing on presentation pieces, and
often jointly wath the cross of swastika, mean-
ing "ten thousand things," "everything," "all
creation."
WaNG-MU. See Hsi-wang-mu.
Willow, the, common in all pairts of China.
A general idea prevails that this tree, or its
bremches, is an omen of good to the family of
a house where it is suspended from the eaves,
or over the front doors. The wallow is also
used in this way to ward off wicked spirits.
(Doolittle.)
Buddhists consider that water sprinkled by
means of a willow branch has a purifying effect.
During the T'erng dynasty, the vvallow was
selected as a badge by Wang-chan for his fol-
lowers in a rebellion which was planned against
the reigning Emperor, he secretly ordering
those who were favorable to him to stick up a
branch of willow under the eaves and over
their front doors ; and fiis soldiers were accord-
ingly instructed not to molest the people in
these particular houses.
Yang and YiNG (" In and Yb"), a common art
motive on porcelain, in the form of a circle sub-
divided by two comma-shaped light and dark
segments which symbolize the active and pas-
sive, or masculine and feminine coefficient nature.
This Chinese mystic symbol bears a singular
parallel to that extraordinary fiction of Egyp-
tian mythology, the supposed intervention of a
Mascolo, feminine principle in the develop-
ment of the mundane egg.
The " Tae-keih " is said to have produced
the Yang and the Yin. See also Pa-kwa.
(Davis, Vol. 11.)
YAO, a term applied to certain porcelain in China.