IlERAMIC STUDIO 
209 
by the most ordinary Chinaman for his daily meals, 
are decorated very often with poorly drawn "dia 
grams" and "Yang and Yin" discs painted in crude 
colors. The outline shape of the " Tae-Kieh " is also 
frequently described in small sweetmeat and water- 
melon seed dishes, the dividing line through the 
center following the circles of the "Yang and Yin." 
The story goes, 
that old Fuh-hi 
over three thous- 
and years ago dis- 
covered the marks 
kn own as the 
"eight diagrams" 
upon the back of 
a tortoise, and in 
some ornamenta- 
tion we find the 
tortoise represent- 
ed as decorative 
Canton Disli. with Tae Kieh. feature Partic 
ularly is this true in Japanese use of the Pa-Kwa, 
the Nipponese artists using their own fabulous 
fringed turtle as central ornament instead of the 
"Tae-Kieh." 
Left— Small square Vase of white Chien Lvmg Porcelain, eight symbols. Height *% inches, 
diameter 1% inches. Center— A Square Crackled Vase of Chien Lung Porcelain, with the 
eight symbols moulded in the paste, under the glaze. Height 9% inches, diameter 4% inches. 
Bight— Square Bottle of Chien Lung Porcelain, with the eight symbols incised in paste in 
relief under a brilliant glaze of bluish green " Kingfisher's feathers". Prom collection of Chi- 
nese Porcelains belonging to Mr. J. Edward Boeck. 
combinations are indulged in by believers in occult influences 
and geomancy. 
When properly arranged, the three unbroken lines refer 
to the Father, and are placed in the eastern position. The 
three broken lines are placed in the west. Counting the three 
lines as 3, and the broken lines opposite as 6, the number 9 is 
the result. This added to the central unit (the Tae-Kieh), 
makes the Sacred number 10. So on all around the circle — ■ 
Japanese Porcelain decorated with the " Pa-kw 
Fringed turtle in center of dish. 
Although cups, saucers and plates are found from time to 
time, decorated with the eight diagrams, and various mythical 
monsters intended to represent those on Chinese art objects, 
it is difficult to secure photographs for illustration. In the 
English Po 
Copeland cup and saucer, the lines have become mere decor- 
ative features, the Chinese "Dragon-Horse" being one of the 
animals, and the mythical " Lion " the other. Fabulous beings 
are sometimes represented as holding the "Pa-Kwa" and such 
are used as charms and for purposes of divination. It is gen- 
erally believed that the diagrams furnish a clue to the secrets 
of nature, and that speculations based upon their various 
Large square Vase of Chien Lung Porcelain, soft paste, with the eight symbols 
moulded in relief in the paste and decorated with flowers in blue, two small 
firing cracks in paste. Height 13}4 inches, diameter 6 inches. 
Small Blue and White square Vase of Yung Cheng Porcelain, decoration floral 
and symbols in relief. Height 10^ inches, diameter 4.% inches. Prom collection 
of Mr. J. Edward Boeck. 
