REVIEWS OF RECENT BOOKS 183 



depending on differences in intellectuality. Nature herself is more 

 beautiful than anything within the imagination of man. The grotesque 

 both in figure work and in landscape is a fault which is more apparent 

 to the foreigner than to the Chinese. Enthusiasts are apt to excuse 

 the gaucheries of Chinese art and it becomes necessary to impress the 

 fact that the main canons of art apply the world over, differences being 

 explained by evolution of style and interpretation. The oft quoted six 

 canons of Hsieh Ho (A.D. 475), in four characters each, are probably 

 too brief and too variously interpreted to be accepted as a real guide 

 to the aims of Chinese art. 



Dr. Ferguson holds that Chinese art is largely indigenous, an 

 opinion which is confirmed by extensive observation and comparison 

 of Chinese with the art of other countries. The author traces in a 

 very interesting way how "ceremonies and portents represent the 

 essential spirit of the culture of the Chinese people out of which 

 their Art first developed." Though handicapped by divination, omens, 

 astrology and other superstition, a truly great national art did indeed 

 evolve far beyond the totem poles and other barbarities of the Pacific 

 litoral. 



The Author states that "there are no authentic stone tablets 

 earlier than the Han dynasty." The curious division of art is made 

 by the Chinese into Chin Shih, which includes work in metals, stone 

 and ceramics, or archeological art, and Shu hua, which comprises 

 calligraphy and painting, or fine art ; a division which was apparently 

 made by the literati. In speaking of the connoisseurship of the 

 educated Chinese, especially as regards the points of jade, Dr. 

 Ferguson makes the statement that "there has not been enough 

 subtlety or elusiveness in pottery and porcelain to attract the Chinese 

 artistic fancy." An unusually pleasing account is given of the appeal 

 to the sense of touch of which the Chinese make so much in regard 

 to jade. An interesting development is recorded of the origin of the 

 Lung-men rock sculptures indirectly from G-andhara through the Yiin- 

 kang grottoes near Tatungfu, the superiority of the Lung-men work 

 being attributed to the Indo-buddhistic work of Yiin-kiang modified 

 by following Chinese classical types. 



Notwithstanding Dr. Ferguson's unique knowledge of the records 

 of Chinese art he admits that no Chinese has written as "comprehen- 

 sive and informative" a book as Hobson's on Chinese pottery and 

 porcelain. 



The lecture on the relationship between calligraphy and painting 

 is perhaps the most original section of the work. The wide influence 

 of calligraphy and its great importance in the development of Chinese 

 painting is very thoroughly worked out and made interesting by 



