Page 352 - Oriental Series Japan and China, Brinkly

CHINA

vermilion, it may be concluded that the Chi-hung
monochromes ceased to be produced after the year

1570.

Concerning these Ming reds, the illustrations from

H'siang's Manuscript and his accompanying descrip-
tions furnish the best and practically the only avail-
able guides. It has long been the habit with Western

amateurs to ascribe to the Ming factories whatever
choice pieces of the Chi-hung class happily come into
their possession. The delusion belongs to the num-
erous myths which bric-a-brac dealers carefully foster

and collectors readily credit. Outside China there

are virtually no Ming Chi-hung monochrones in exis-

tence, and in China they are few and far between.

The connoisseur must be content to know them

vicariously, and to accept as true indications of their

beauty the expressive names deservedly given them
by their Chinese admirers, ruby red, the rosy blush
of liquid dawn, and the crimson glow of the sky

after rain and storm.

The red monochromes familiar to American and

European virtuosi are from the kilns of Kang-hsi

(16621722), Tung-ching (17231725), Chien-lung
(17361785) and even later epochs. In the great

keramic renaissance that took place at the accession
of Kang-hsi, the potters of Ching-te-chen did not fail
to turn their attention to ware so celebrated and

highly valued as the Chi-hung monochromes. It was

then that the much esteemed porcelain known in the
West as " Sang de bceuf" may be said to have come

into existence, for although it was produced also

during the Ming dynasty, no specimens of that epoch

left China, or that, at any rate, if any pieces did go
Westward their number was quite insignificant.

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