72 CHINESE IDEAS OF ANTIQUES 



again had a white body with only a red foot and base. The 

 most highly prized were those which were wholly red 

 exterior, core, body and base. The second rate specimens 

 were those which had a white core and red exterior, but this 

 ■class also had variations. Some had a white body with a 

 red band locking the mouth. It sometimes happened that 

 only the foot and base were red. 



The changing green (03 T*f) porcelain is also included 

 among the Suen Teh ceramics. Though inferior in quality 

 to the tsih red, its composite ingredients were powdered 

 sapphire stones. This latter fact explains why its lustre 

 dazzled the eyes, and its excessive splendour moved the 

 fancy. 



There is also the Su P'o clay (M W- VI) wares which are 

 also a changing green. The green in this case, however, is 

 intermingled with a purple colour, resembling the purple 

 grape. The blending of these two colours w T as so strange 

 and confused at times that it was called the " demon faced 

 green." This particular colour was produced by the same 

 process, and at the same time as the real "changing 

 green," and is only an inferior variety of those green wares, 

 and its price was necessary much lower than the real 

 articles. 



The Suen Teh potteries also produced a pure white 

 porcelain with a golden foot and base which glittered like a 

 gem. Looked at from a distance this porcelain appeared to 

 be pure white, but closer observation revealed hidden 

 figures of the dragon and phoenix secreted in the body of 

 the wares. In the hollow of the foot will be found an 

 inscription inscribed in secreted character, "Made in Ming 

 Dynasty and in the reign of the Emperor Suen Teh." 



There is still another peculiar variety of porcelain 

 belonging to the Suen Teh period, whose colour is like an 

 orange skin with perforations therein resembling coir 

 matting. Its external appearance is as though layers of 

 suet had been piled thereon, and thus making its surface 

 bright, smooth, and attractive, so much so that it almost 

 equals porcelain of the Sung (5U) period. 



Some notice must also be taken of the Suen Teh 

 porcelain with white ground and nature green flowers. 

 These wares when put in the shade, and then suddenly 

 moved and exposed to a strong light, make the figures 

 appear as if they were painted on live paper. 



The black splashed (H Mt) porcelain had black sandy 

 lumps about the size of millet seed bespattered all over its 

 surface. The ground work being black with perforations 

 resembling coir matting. 



