Page 338 - Chinese Porcelain Vol I, Galland

CHINESE PORCELAIN.
196
eighteenth century, so it is about time that we were getting
reconciled to them.
"
A Chinese friend writes, The motive on Nos. 333, 334, and
335, is the same, and represents the journey of one of the eight
immortals on the occasion of the birthday of the mother of the
Pearly Emperor, who has her abode in the Western Paradise.
The Chinese name for these pictures is Ngo hole chin sew, or
five sources of happiness congratulating (your) birthday."
From this it is probable that these pieces originally did
duty in China as birthday offerings.
Hitherto the pink we have met with has been of the rose
shade but, before this section, we must glance at
; leaving
Nos. 335, 336, where the has taken on a
pink purplish tone,
like a pink silk shot with blue. This is supposed to be a later
development, an effort to give novelty to the pink shade, and
many of the pieces so decorated are very beautiful. A pre-
ference is given nowadays iu all the painted classes to pieces
more covered with decoration than these two vases are, the
idea being that there is more work thereon. Quality being the
same, this may be so ; but surely pieces like these, where
1 lie figures stand out singly on the white ground, are more
artistic* than those loaded with and other decora-
figures
tion.
No. 335. vase. inches. No
Cylindrical Height, 15^
mark. This is covered with a celadon of
piece glaze slightly
greenish tint, and has a brown edge at top. The motive is
Lau Tsae-ho as a woman, on a raft, seemingly made of a
stretched hide, on the tail of which stands a stork, emblem of
longevity, while two bats hover overhead, probably signifying
in the or a double of same.
happiness plural, portion (The
other three bats, however, are on the other side of the
vase.)
Her usual emblem of a basket of flowers stands at her feet,
1 1 i 1 with the staff she seems to fniide the raft. Her shoulders
are covered with a fur below which is the
tippet, bluish-jnnk
tunic, while light green streamers over a white skirt complete
her costume. Lau Tsae-ho seems to more in
appear frequently
1liis rose verte section than of the other immortals.
any
No. 336. A vase. Height, 15i inches. No mark. The
decoration here consists of two ladies dressed in the same shade
of :
pink stands witjh vases of flowers,; .emblems on .the neci