Page 404 - Oriental Series Japan and China, Brinkly

CHINA

this curious product thus : " I have been shown

a piece of porcelain called Yao-pien, or ware trans-

muted in the kiln. The transmutation was caused

by deficiency or excess of temperature, or by other

agencies difficult to fathom. This piece, which is

not a success according to the potter's notion, and

which is the result of chance, is none the less beauti-

ful or less esteemed. The intention of the potter
Awas to make vases with red souffle glazes.
hundred

pieces were entirely spoiled. That of which I speak

emerged from the kiln with an appearance like agate.

If the risk and expense of trials could be borne, the

art would doubtless be discovered of accomplishing

with certainty that which chance now achieves once

in a while. It was thus that the potters proceeded

in the case of mirror-black glaze. The caprice of

the furnace impelled them to make the essay, and it

succeeded." There is little room for doubt that M.

d'Entrecolles was partially deceived in this matter.
" trans-
mHuetecder"tawianrley, saw a piece of accidentally
but by no means follows that all
it

Tao-pien-yao was accidentally transmuted. In the

"Annals of Fu-liang" there is included among the
glazes manufactured at Ching-te-chen an " "
oil green
(Tu-lu^, the origin of which is ascribed to the " an-

cient vases called Yao-fiien" and which is spoken of
as an " antique and fine glaze." This alone would

suffice to dispose of the idea that the ware was in-

vented at the beginning of the eighteenth century,

while M. d'Entrecolles was in China. There are in

fact many fine specimens dating unquestionably from
the Ming period. The original discovery was proba-

bly due to accident, and in subsequent times many

pieces must often have been produced under unfore-

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