Page 73 - J. P Morgan Collection of Chinese Art and Porcelain

HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION

like the title of the reigning emperor Kuang-hsii,
which means "Inherited Lustre." The regnal title

was frequently changed under the older dynasties, but

since the accession of the Ming dynasty in 1368, there
has been only one instance of such a change, when the

emperor Cheng-t'ung returned after seven years of
exile and changed the nien-hao to T'ien-shun.

Chinese, it is well known, is read from right to left,
and from above downwards. The "six-character

—mark" is usually written in two columns, composed as

follows : Two characters signifying the dynasty, two

the nien hao, and two more meaning

J^"period" and "made." This is a six-char- 4r

acter mark of the Emperor Hsiian-te. It

reads Ta Ming Hsiian-te nien chih (Great S^ ^E|
Ming Hsiian-te period made). But it is
^''^ "'"^*
occasionally written in one horizontal line,

as seen in several of the Ming pieces in the

collection. The "four-character mark" has the dy-

nasty omitted, so that it commences with the nien-

hao. The seals are similar combinations of characters,

but penciled in an archaic script, commonly known as
the seal character. The third form of Chinese writing,

the "grass text," or cursive hand, is seldom seen except
in potters' marks impressed on Fuchien white

porcelain.

a. REGNAL DATES

The regnal titles usually found are:—
MING DYNASTY

t^ 5^ "v: \

HUNG WU CHIEN-WEN YUNG LO

(1 368- 1 398) (1399- 1 402) (1403- 1 424;
Ixi