Page:Brinkley - China - Volume 1.djvu/318

 CHINA

Kang-hsi kilns. In everything that makes for excel- lence — depth, brilliancy, and purity of colour, lustre and solidity of glaze, closeness and fineness of pdére, and general technical skill _—the Kang-hsi Lang-yao yields nothing to the CAz-hung monochromes of the Ming dynasty. An important difference is that, whereas the Hszen-hung (rouge vif) and Pao-shi-hung (ruby red) wares of the Mzng potters generally had incised decoration under the glaze, the Lang-yao is invariably without this feature. In truth the Lang- yao is not the real Tszmg representative of the Ming Chi-hung. It will be shown presently that the latter is more accurately reproduced in another and still choicer porcelain. But the Lang-yao is the Sang de beuf of the West, and in Chinese eyes good examples of it rank very high among fine porcelains.

Perhaps there is no ware about which inexperienced amateurs are more constantly and egregiously deceived. Yet the marks of excellence are so plain that, if once seen, their absence can scarcely fail to be detected. Speaking broadly, there are five varieties, but the col- lector, in accepting this classification, must remember that it is scarcely possible to find two specimens of Lang-yao exactly alike. The potter, as has been already remarked, could never control the conditions in the kiln sufficiently to count with absolute cer- tainty on the tone and tint of the glaze after firing.

In the first and choicest variety the glaze is com- paratively thin. Its brilliancy, softness, and sheen are indescribable. Sometimes it covers the surface com- pletely and uniformly, except at the upper rim where a fringe of white is seen; sometimes it merges into a broad cloud of much lighter colour. _ Of course the latter want of absolute regularity within the limits of

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