Page 163 - Chinese Porcelain Vol I, Galland

COLOURS. 131

a as the feet of the are said to
palace, probably glaze, pieces
have been of a coarse yellow ware. We are told this porcelain,
more correctly speaking, celadon-ware, was so much
or, perhaps,
esteemed in China, that years after fragments of it were worn
on the person in the same way as gems are. As the Ming-
dynasty commenced in 1368, or only four hundred years
later, this fact tells rather against the theory of our now
being in possession of pieces of date much prior to the Ming
period.
The Chinese claim to Imve used red from early dates, but it
is doubtful if they could command the use of it as a distinct
colour before the Ming period.
In addition to the above, we have reason to believe that
dark brown, black, or what did for
white, purple, yellow, duty
same, and gilt were in use during the " Ming ' dynasty, per-
haps not in every case as a glaze.
The to the " of Gratitude," near
pagoda, belonging Temple
Nanking, was commenced under the Emperor Yung-lo (1403-
1425), the third of the Ming line, and completed in 1430.
This tower seems to have been faced with white porcelain
bricks, glazed on one side, the overhanging eaves of the nine
stories being composed of green glazed tiles, while the mould-
and ornaments were of five or six colours
ings glazed pottery,
being thus employed, viz. white, red, green, blue, according to
some writers yellow, and others brown.' This, unfortunately,
cannot be taken as a sure guide to the colours in use at that
as the was the
period, pagoda extensively repaired by Emperor
Kang-he in 1664, and for aught we know may have been
refaced him. It also underwent various restora-
entirely by
tions in later and was the
days, finally destroyed by Tai-pings
in 1853.
Prior to the in of the
Tsing dynasty (1644), spite glowing
descriptions given by native writers, the colours seem to have
been in and distinctness of colour, which
lacking brightness
fault was remedied by the introduction of what we now know as
" "
the Jesuit colours, so called owing to many of the improve-
ments made the and later been
during Kang-he reigns having
brought about with the aid of those missionaries.
Brown and coffee-coloured are mentioned Pere
glazes by
d'Entrecolles, in 1712, as of recent invention, and must refer to