Page 417 - Oriental Series Japan and China, Brinkly

POLYCHROMATIC GLAZES

entered into the manufacture is proved by the fact

that no two specimens are exactly alike. Not only
does the manner vary in which the clouds of red are

disposed, but the colour also passes from rose to light
claret, and is sometimes marked with metallic or

agate-like flecks. Sometimes, again, the red, or

brownish red, clouding is distributed more or less
uniformly over the whole surface of the piece. This

last type generally occurs in large specimens, and
though very restful and charming, cannot be regarded
as the choicest kind of Fang-Chun-yao. Another

variety, very rarely seen, has its entire surface dappled
with clair-de-lune and claret red. This Fang-chun-yao
seems to have been a production of the Yung-ching
potters. Its pate is of fine texture, but opaque and
showing a tinge of brownish red.

GRAINED GLAZES.

Attempts to classify wares offering such infinite

varieties as the polychromatic glazes of China, neces-

sarily involve some perplexity. In the above head-

ing, however, care has been taken to follow the

nomenclature of the Chinese themselves, who use the

ideograph siu, or " to distinguish three glazes
grain,"

of much merit and curiosity, namely, the Chin-siit-hiva,
or " "
the Tung-siu-hivat or "cop-
per ggroalidnegdra"ingeldaze,glaazned ; the Tieh-siu-hwa, or " iron

grained" glaze. In all three kinds the ground colour

is brownish red, and in the glaze there appear to float
or iron. The " gold
scales or grains of gold, copper,
" of the three and most highly esteemed.
grain is rarest

Its gold specks are plainly seen, held suspended in the

glaze, seemingly in the form of pure metal, though it

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