76 CHINESE IDEAS OF ANTIQUES 



happen to gain possession of a patched vessel should 

 remember that though it is patched, and inferior to the 

 undamaged article, it is still ancient porcelain, and is in 

 •consequence of much more value than newly manufactured 

 wares, no matter how fine the quality of the latter may be. 



III. 



ANCIENT LUTES (# 9). 



The Chinese lute dates from the time of Yao (ft) and 

 Shun (M) or even earlier and is, therefore, an instrument of 

 the remotest antiquity. It originally had only five strings, 

 but these have gradually been added to from time to time, 

 so that now the strings number seven. Ancient lutes can 

 only be distinguished from the modern by carefully examin- 

 ing the wood of which the back of the lute is made. If the 

 grains of the wood are broken, then it may be accepted as 

 an ancient instrument, as at least five hundred years must 

 pass before the grains break, and the older the lute the 

 more broken the grains of w T ood become. These broken 

 wood grains may be classed under three heads : (1) " Snake 

 belly broken grains." There are broken lines running across 

 the back of the lute, resembling the cross lines on the belly 

 of a snake. These lines may vary as to the distance between 

 them. Some are only one inch apart, while others may be 

 two or even three inches distant the one from the other. 

 (2) "The five flower grain breaks." These broken lines 

 and flowers are so small and close together that they 

 resemble the hairs of the head, and should cover the back, 

 belly and ribs of the lute. (3) " The (wei hau) or cherry 

 blossom breaks." This latter variety of wood flower is 

 believed to be the most ancient of wood flowers, end noth- 

 ing short of one thousand years can produce such perfect 

 markings. All ancient instruments have one or other of 

 the broken grain or flower markings, but in order to recognise 

 counterfeits, it should be remembered that the genuine 

 markings have a sharp point resembling a miniature 

 mountain peak, which no imitator can reproduce. 



The Chinese lute is made of that timber known as P'ao 

 t'ung (J& ffl) or Pawlonia Imperialis S and Z which may be 

 divided into two classes : (1) The " Yang " timber. This is 

 the side of the tree which has been exposed to the direct 

 rays of the sun during the years of its growth and thus 

 called "male quality" timber. (2) The "Yin" timber. 

 This is the side of the tree which has had a northern 



