Page 325 - Chinese Porcelain Vol I, Galland

PAINTED IN COLOURS OVER THE GLAZE. 189

heads on undoubted verte pieces (see the neck of vase No. 297
and the bottom tier on beakers Nos. 310, 311), it having been
the custom before the coming of the present dynasty to shave
the heads of children.
Nos. 322, 323. A pair of six-sided vases of rather coarse
with short neck and mouth. 12
porcelain, spreading Height,
inches ; diameter, 4f inches. No mark. Flat unglazed base.
On the body of the vase the decoration is marked off by a double
line in Indian ink, and differs on each of the six sides — two show-
a two vases and charms, two rock and flowers. The
ing lady,
border at the top is green, with black specks and red flowers,
the bottom part being scalloped with a sceptre head at each
corner. On the shoulder a green arabesque with coloured
flowers, and six flower-sprays on the neck. Some of the
of the Pa-kwa on the vase, shown in No. 323.
trigrams appear
No. 324. A porcelain dish. Diameter, lOf inches ; height,
1^ inch. Mark, a seal mark in two blue circles, probably
lull (prosperity). The decoration consists of an elderly and a
young man seated in a pavilion playing chess, with a lady
looking on, while a standard-bearer and horse (one of the
wait outside. In old times the Chinese
spotted species) played
chess with flat more like our draught-men than
square pieces,
anything else.
No. 325. A porcelain dish, same size and mark as above.
The is a seated at a table with books and
subject lady, writing
materials, who has dropped asleep, and is dreaming that she is
walking with her husband or lover, who is probably at a dis-
tance, as indicated by the figure to the left.
" "
Middle Kingdom," vol. ii. p. 174 : Some of their repre-
sentations of abstract ideas are at least singular to us, and, like
many other things brought from their country, attract our
notice from their oddity. One is here inserted in the repre-
sentation of a man dreaming." This is a drawing of a man
seated at a table with his head on his folded
asleep resting
a man
arms, while from his head a scroll extends, showing
seated on a galloping horse.
449 " in case find
Doolittle, p. : Many people, they great
difficulty in deciding what course to take in regard to an im-
under consideration, visit some
portant subject popular temple,
and, having burned incense and candles, beg the divinity
N 3