Page 472 - Oriental Series Japan and China, Brinkly

CHINA

distinctly green marks are chosen. These green

marks, or spots, are caused by the presence of oxide

of manganese. The stone has to be well washed, in

the first place, after which it is subjected to processes

similar to those employed with the ordinary petuntse.

When, by these processes, the purest portions have

been separated, there is added to every hundred parts

by weight of the liquid one part of fibrous gypsum,
which has been previously brought to a red heat."

M. Salvetat considers that the role played by this gyp-
sum is purely mechanical. It facilitates the precipita-

tion of minute impurities held in suspension in the

liquid. " The glazing matter, thus prepared, is never

used alone. There is added to it another substance

which may be called its soul, and which is prepared
A mass of lime is taken and sprinkled
as follows :

Awith water to reduce it to powder. bed of fern is

then made and on this is placed a bed of the slacked

lime. Over this is placed another bed of fern and

then another of lime and so on. The whole mass is

subsequently roasted, and when it is entirely calcined,

the ashes are spread upon another bed of fern, and
the process of piling and burning is gone though de
novo. This is repeated six or seven times, and even

oftener for very choice glazes. According to the

history of Fu-liang, the wood of the Diospyrus Kaki

was formerly used instead of ferns, but this practice

has been abandoned owing to the scarcity of the tree.

Perhaps the change of process is responsible for the
deterioration in the quality of modern porcelain."

M. d'Entrecolles, it must be remembered, wrote these

notes in 172025 ; that is to say, during the closing

years of the reign of Kang-hsly an epoch generally
regarded as particularly prolific in fine wares. His

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