588 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1914. 
as belonging to the Shang and Chow periods. The men of the Han 
dynasty were fond of the craftsman’s art, as is shown by the jade 
pieces of that period, which are of rare workmanship. It was near 
to the period of antiquity, and the models of the three dynasties 
could be readily utilized. The articles produced were named after 
the period of their pattern, and are not necessarily to be considered 
as genuine products of the Shang and Chow dynasties. There are 
also articles which have been fraudulently said to have come from 
ancient tombs, such as the instance of the Hunan amulets; but such 
facts are well known to connoisseurs. Articles used in the Han 
period, like the Po-shan censers, having no distinct colormg of blue 
or green are not classed as ancient, but as belonging to the Han 
dynasty; but it must be remembered that the output of mortuary 
articles during the three dynasties was very great and that they 
were not much used during the Han. Therefore few articles were 
then buried, and even in the case of those which were buried the 
blue and green color must be very much like that of the articles of 
the three dynasties, for the difference in age is not great. Even 
jades which are now found with bloodlike marks come from the Han 
period, and how could it be possible that bronzes could be buried 
without undergoing a change of color? 
THE COLOR OF ANCIENT BRONZES. 
Ancient vessels which have been much exposed to the air become 
blue, while those much exposed to water become green. When 
exposed both to air and water, the colors blue and green are both 
produced. The tombs of the ancient kmgs and emperors were 
solidly built, so that water could not penetrate them. Those vessels 
that were placed on stone pedestals were in the air as long as the 
pedestal remained intact. Thus, being long subject to the influence 
of the surrounding air, the color became very pure, and, further- 
more, there being no contact with the earth, the color is a pure 
(kingfisher) blue. This is the best variety. Inferior to this are 
vessels found in the burial mounds of the ministers of state, where 
they were subjéct to the influences of the soil and water, and thus 
were colored both blue and green. The pure green ones were pro- 
duced where they lay in water without bemg covered with the soil. 
THE DIFFERENCES OF APPEARANCE PRODUCED BY BURIAL IN EARTH 
OR WATER AND BY EXPOSURE TO THE AIR. 
Bronze vessels buried in the earth for a thousand years become 
pure blue, like that of the kingfisher. The color before noon is pale, 
but after noon takes on the appearance of clouds, and the kingfisher 
blue seems as if it would liquefy into drops. There are also places 
