Page 191 - J. P Morgan Collection of Chinese Art and Porcelain

OF CHINESE PORCELAINS [CASE X

genii of union and concord {Ho Ho Erh Hsien), on his
left Liu Han with his familiar, the three-legged toad.

The remainder of the circuit is occupied by the eight

genii (Pa Hsien), recognized by the various attributes

they hold in their hands.

The upper segment of the gourds gives another view
of the Taoist realm of immortality, with two hermits

wandering through the glades of paradise (Shou Shan),
and three others crossing the cosmic sea which leads
to its shores, the three being Liu Han, again riding on
his toad, and the same twin genii supported by their

peculiar attributes.

Mark: Ta Ming Chia-ching nien chih (Made in the

reign of Chia-ching of the great Ming dynasty).

Chia-ching (i 522-1 566). Height 21 inches.

(plate xiv)

245. WINE-JAR. With a cover containing an in-

terior flange designed to dip into a body of oil floating

on top of the wine, and exclude the air. A Ming wine

jar painted in blue with a reunion of scholars in a grove
of trees on a mountain side, with no mythological sur-

roundings. There are four principal figures, each of

which is accompanied by a young attendant carrying
respectively a ewer of wine, a branch of Olea fragrans,
the scholar's flower, a banner fan, and a lyre wrapped
in its brocaded case. The decoration is completed by
formal scrolls enclosing sprays of peony and chrysan-
themum, single blossoms of prunus, cloud scrolls and
emblems of good fortune.

The "mark" pencilled in detached characters round
the shoulder of the vase is Ta Ming IVan-li nien chih.

Wan-li (i 573-1619). Height 22 inches.

(plate xv)

246. JAR. Minute chrysanthemum decoration in

dark blue.

65