Page 264 - Chinese Porcelain Vol I, Galland

1 66 CHINESE PORCELAIN.

are imitation bamboo. Suspended from the collar round the
intended to
lion's neck are two charms, probably represent
It is a common error to confuse the lion with the
pearls. very
which is the more excusable, as the Chinese often
kylin, paint
the latter rather like the lion, as in No. 318, but it can always
be told by its hoofs instead of paws and the antler-like pro-
tuberance.

Paetly Coloured, Partly Glazed on Biscuit.
Figures.
We have seen that the Chinese made numerous figures in
white porcelain ; we must now glance at those decorated in
colours. Nos. 275, 276, 277, are covered chiefly with green
enamel, but figures are to be met with belonging to nearly all
the various classes of while in size they vary as much
porcelain,
as in material and of
colouring. Nearly every description
animal is also to be found in these figures. As a rule, the
older the figure the ruder it is in form, composition, and
colouring.
No. 275. Female inches. No mark.
figure. Height, 9J
In the hand is a lotus which to the
right seed-pod, points
intended for Ho Seen-koo, one of the im-
figure being eight
mortals. Her head-dress is in the shape of a lotus leaf; the
of her tunic and waistband, it will be noticed, are decorated
cape
with heads.
joo-e
No. 276 is a very popular group in China ; it illustrates the
from mothers their sons
advantage arising bringing up pro-
Sum was a widow, whose son, Song Loh, would
perly. Liang
not study, so every day he did not learn something she cut
with a knife the cloth she had that day woven. This, after a
time, so impressed Song Loh that he set to work with a will,
and in due course became Prime Minister of China. A some-
what similar tale is told of Mencius and his mother (see
On the stand at the head
Mayers, p. 154). boy's is a root,
from which as winter flowers will when it will
goes spring,
look like a little
rockery.
No. 277 is said to be one of the eight immortals, and such
being the case, Europeans would suppose it to be Chang Ko-