THE CERAMIC ART IN CHINA. 401 



shades specially affected were, first, pale white like the moou, the 

 French clairde lune; second, pale bluish green; aud third, dark greeu; 

 but duriug the Chiugho period (1111 to 1117) the only color employed 

 was bluish-green, both dark and pale in tint. This porcelain was very 

 thin, and in some cases crackled all over so finely as to resemble crab's 

 claws in shape, with the red brim aud iron-colored foot distinctive of 

 the true celadon. The Po-wu-yao-lan, quoted in the Taoshuo Treatise 

 on Pottery (ch. 2, p. 9), explains this latter expression as follows : 



As regards Kuan-yao, it should be known that the porcelain earth found at the foot 

 of the Fenghuang-shan, or Phoenix hill, near Haugchou, is red ; for this reason the 

 foot (the base on which the vessel rests when being fired, and which is therefore not 

 covered by the enamel), resembles iron in color. This was at the time called "red- 

 mouthed and iron-footed." The term "red mouth" refers to the brim or opening of 

 the vessel, which becomes red by the enamel flowing down and away from it, so as to 

 be much thinner on the brim than it is on the body of the vessel, thus allowing spots 

 of red paste to become visible. 



Dr. Hirth, after quoting this explanation, adds : 



The red or iron colored bottom, usually appearing in the shape of a ring, is a char- 

 acteristic feature of the Luugch'iian celadons ; but if the above explanation is cor- 

 rect, the bottom of Lungcli'iian vessels differed from Kuan-yao bottoms, since the 

 paste of Hangchou celadons (the southern Kaan-yao) is said to be red in ilself, 

 whereas that of the Lungeh'ilan-yao is originally white, and merely turns red in such 

 parts of the surface as are not covered by the enamel.* 



From Hsiang Tzii ching's catalogue it would seem as if there were 

 originally two recognized classes of this ware: ordinary Kuan-yao and 

 Ta-kuan, or superior Kuan-yao. Among the latter he mentions an 

 ink-slab for the emperor's use, in which "an oval was left unglazed in 

 the center for rubbing the ink on, showing the red paste." Both were 

 celadon in color; in the superior variety {ta-kuan), however, the glaze 

 appears to have been more brilliant — it is described as " clear and lus- 

 trous, like an emerald in tint." The two specimens of this ware de- 

 scribed were both coarsely crackled. The ordinary Kuan-yao was in 

 some cases crackled with a glaze varying from pale green to deep onion ; 

 in other specimens uncrackled, the latter being seemingly of a lighter 

 tint than the crackled, the ornamentation, consisting of a variety of 

 scroll designs or of some geometrical patterns broken by animals' 

 heads in relief, was engraved under the glaze.t 



After the court had been removed southwards to Hangchou, Shao 

 Ch'eng-chang, superintendent of the Northern Imperial Park, is said to 

 have established a factory in the residence of the junior director of the 

 palace. Made of very pure clay, with great grace of form and covered 

 with a transparent, brilliant glaze, this porcelain, which was termed 

 Wei-yao porcelain of the palace or Kuan-yao — government porcelain — 

 gained a high reputation. 



.? Hivtli ; Op. cit., p. 20. t Bushell : Op, cit,, Nos. 2, 8, 5, 13, 15, 17, 47, 50, 53, 73. 



H. Mis. 142, pt. 2— 2a 



