Page 370 - Chinese Porcelain Vol I, Galland

214 CHINESE PORCELAIN.

spectacles ; others represent a kind of fish ; others are like an
eel, or some similar looking animal, being from ten to thirty
feet long, and of proportionate size ; others are like various
kinds of birds, or bugs, or butterflies, or quadrupeds ; some
resemble men sailing through the air ; others are eight-sided,
in imitation of the eight diagrams, invented by one of the
earliest Chinese Most or all of those which
emperors. repre-
sent animals are there is an
gaudily painted. Every year
especial proclamation issued by the city officer with reference
to this kite-flying, warning against tumult on the ninth day of
the ninth month on the Black Kock Hill. A petty mandarin,
with a large staff of policemen or constables, is annually
stationed on the hill, on arrival of the day, for the purpose of
keeping the peace and quelling the disturbance should any
arise. Probably thirty or forty thousand people visit that
hill to their kites, especially if the weather is fine, on that
fly
day.
Mandarin with Black Borders.
No. 351. A dessert plate similar to the last. Diameter, 7}
inches ; height, 1 inch. No mark ; but the decoration on the
rim consists of dragons in iron-red, surrounded by black clouds
and nebulae of fire, which, in contrast with the pink, green,
and blue of the centre decoration, has an effect perhaps more
than
striking pleasing.
Both these were from China in the
plates brought early
nineteenth and have remained in the same
century, family
ever since.
Mandarin with Gilt Scroll-work.
No. 352. Jar and cover of fine porcelain. Height, 12 J
indies. No mark. Gilt lion on cover.
No. 353. Beaker, same as above. Height, 11-J inches;
and inches.
diameter, o\ 3^
The band at the as also that on the shoulder of the
top, jar
and the borders off the two
marking large medallions, are in
l>l lie under the The four small reserves at the sides are
glaze.
marked off by iron red scroll-work, the spaces between being
filled with gold scroll -work, on which are thrown iron-red
roses ii nd foliage. Taking the hiriro medallion shown on the