Page 353 - Chinese Porcelain Vol I, Galland

PAINTED IN COLOURS OVER THE GLAZE. 205

the new moon when only a clay or two old, or to the yonng
leaflet of the willow. Pink and green, two colours often worn
by women, are confined exclusively to them, and never seen
on men." does not hold in
(This good porcelain, where, of
the artists have often to clothe their male in
necessity, figures
these colours.) "The ordinary dress is a large-sleeved robe
of silk, or of cotton among the poorer sort, over a long garment,
sometimes of a pink colour ; under which are loose trousers,
above the small foot
which are fastened round the ankle, just
and tight shoe. A proverbial expression among the Chinese,
' robes to hide
for the concealment of defects, is, Long large
feet.' Notwithstanding this, the Tartar women, or their lords,
have had the good sense to preserve the ladies' feet of the
natural size. In other respects, however, they dress nearly as
the Chinese, and paint their faces white and red in the same
style.
"
The ordinary dress of men among the labouring classes is
extremely well-snited to give full play to the body. It consists
in summer of only a pair of loose cotton trousers tied round the
middle, and a shirt or smock, equally loose, hanging over it. In
very hot weather the smock is thrown off altogether, and only
the trousers retained. They defend the head from the sun by
a broad hat of bamboo
very umbrella-shaped slips interwoven,
which in winter is exchanged for a felt cap ; and in rainy
weather they have cloaks of a species of flags or reeds, from
which the water runs as from a
pent-house.
" A of the wear no shoes, but some
large portion peasantry
those who
are furnished, particularly carry heavy burthens,
with sandals of straw to the feet.
protect
"
It is fashionable, in both men and women, to allow the
nails of the left hand to grow to an inordinate length, until
they assume an appearance very like the claws of the brady-
The brittleness of the nail
pus. rendering it liable to break,
they have been known sometimes to protect it, when very long,
by means of thin slips of bamboo.
"
There are two lines of the house of China.
imperial Every-
about their dress and to minute
thing equipage is subject
regulation. Some are decorated with the peacock's feather,
and others allowed the of the sedan.
privilege green
"
The colour of is white and dull
mourning grey, or ash,