Page 32 - Chinese porcelains collected by Mr. and Mrs. Charles P. Taft, Cincinnati, Ohio, by John Getz

HISTORICAL

the greatest development ; kilns were increased, a number of artists and
clever workmen were named for personal achievements in theirart, and quan-
tities of fine specimens in polychrome colors were produced. The advent
of "blue and white "porcelain may be particularly attributed to this dy-
nasty, as its manufacture predominated among the products of at least three
noted periods, the examples being so remarkable that antiquarians of

China, as well as Westem virtuosi or collectors, keep up a continuous

search for them.

It may be stated that " blue and white" porcelain started with the first
period of the Ming dynasty, if not at the close of the former dynasty of
Mongols, as a reference is made by Chinese writers to a porcelain deco-

rated in blue, said to have been produced at Lin-ch'uan in the department
of Fu<hou, and at Nan-feng in the department of Chien-chang, both in
province of Kiangsi, at the end of the Ylian dynasty.

These two products appear to have been much preferred to the kind
made at the Imperial factories (King-te-chen), and soon became famous.

During the reign of Hung-wu (1368-1398), the first Ming emperor, a
special factory was established at the foot of Mount Tch'ou-chan in King-
te-chen (Ching-t6-chen), where the products intended for the palace were
specially made, and where a fine quality of porcelain was also produced
for the magistrates. The Emperor ordered all vases to be inscribed with
the date-mark of four or six characters, the former giving the "Nien-hao"
(Imperial name), and the latter including the name of his dynasty. In

—this period several colors were in vogue blue, black, and a pure white,

this last being most esteemed.

The period of Yung-lo (l 403-1 426), of the Ming dynasty, is among the

most noted. Objects were produced, as in other periods, of varying

quality, but the finest porcelains are of special interest and value. The

"blue and white" porcelain of this era, ranking very high, is perhaps ex-
celled only by those fine soft-paste objects produced under Hsiian-t^, the
succeeding period, and that of Ch'eng-hua, a later but most flourishing era.

It is stated in the annals of Feou-liang that the blue employed was

brought from some Mohammedan country (Persia or Arabia) as a tribute,

[xx]