CHINESE IDEAS OF ANTIQUES 73 



The plain wares were glazed both inside and out, and 

 had the appearance of having koumiss (cheese) heaped 

 upon its surface. The base and foot had a hidden green 

 intermixed with the white, this blending of colour can only 

 be seen when the article is exposed to the rays of the sun, 

 when it becomes powerful colour full of animation. 



Imitations of the Suen Teh red wares are of a fiery red 

 colour, the edges are thin and the glazing shows a tinge of 

 green mingled with the red, but there can be no doubt 

 about their real origin. 



The orange colours and coir matting perforations are 

 all jumbled and confused. The white base with the nature 

 green or life-like flowers are net found among these imita- 

 tions. These imitations include such articles as urns, vases, 

 ■plates. If the good coloured open-mouthed vases can be 

 found, they are now of considerable value even though they 

 are imitations. 



The Ch'eng Hua ' (Jft 4b) Porcelain, A.D. 1465. 



Of all the Ch'eng Hua porcelain there is none to equal 

 the five coloured handled cups, with their wide mouth and 

 squash belly and adorned inside by the picture of a bunch 

 of grapes. These Ch'eng Hua ceramics are believed to be 

 superior to those produced during the Suen Teh reign. 

 The next quality included cups which were adorned with 

 grasses and insects. Such as "hen and pheasant exhortation 

 cups." San Yuen (Htc) fruit dishes (these dishes had three 

 kinds of fruit painted on each, three dishes made a set, thus 

 making nine kinds of fruit in all.) There are also the Wu 

 Kong (3l $:) or five shallow vessels used in the worship of 

 Buddha. Small saucers used for adjusting the chopstick, 

 incense boxes, small jugs of various kinds, small platters of 

 the thickness of paper, and adorned with green flowers. 



There are imitations of these wares manufactured by 

 Huang Tsi Sheng (H 3P SI) and dating from the close of the 

 Ming Dynasty. Though these articles are inferior to the 

 real Ch'eng Hua wares owing to the lapse of years, their 

 prices are -by no means low. 



Taken on an average, the Ch'eng Hua green porcelain 

 is decidedly poorer than the Suen Teh wares, but the five 

 •coloured porcelain of the Ch'eng Hua period is superior to 

 the Suen Teh five coloured wares. The reason given for 

 the deterioration in the quality of the Ch'eng Hua green 

 wares was the use of inferior clay. During the Suen Teh 

 reign the green porcelain was manufactured from Su P'o 

 -clay (H W Vt) which was of a greenish colour, but by the 



