Page:Brinkley - China - Volume 1.djvu/385



keramic productions, has been investigated with so much care by an author of the Middle Kingdom, further research may yet be rewarded by the discov- ery of equally elaborate records in other branches of the Chinese potter’s art. The document translated runs thus : —

The tradition with regard to the discovery of pottery clay is that, at a remote time, a strange-looking priest daily made his appearance in the village, and walked about the streets, calling out, “Treasure to sell! Treasure to sell!” The villagers crowded round and laughed at him. But he said : — “If you do not care to buy treasure, how can you hope to become rich?” Finally, an old villager accompa- nied the priest, and was conducted by the latter to a moun- tain where a hole had been partially dug. After this the priest disappeared, and the people, examining the hole, found that it shone brightly with all the five colours, so that its interior presented the appearance of brocade. The name of the mountain was Tao-jung Shu-shan. It was originally called Tu-shan, but Tung-po Sien-shang, observing its resem- blance to the scenery of Shu-chung, gave it the name of Shu-shan. On the summit is a shrine where Sien-shang is worshipped. In a work, the 27-Asiang Hien-chi, written by Wangchw’an of the Ming dynasty, the authority of an an- cient writer is quoted to show that the mountain called 'I'-shan joins eastward to the range of Twng-ting and is connected with Shu-shang

Light yellow clay comes from the mountain Chao-chwang- shan. It is used to mix with nearly all varieties of clay, be- ing very tough, and an indispensable ingredient of good pottery. Another kind of yellow, called Shi-hwang, or stone yellow, is obtained from the same place. Under the influence of heat it assumes the colour of cinnabar. Azure- blue clay is found at Li-shu: it changes to dark brown in the furnace. In the same district the “ pear-skin” clay is found: pottery made from it has the colour of a fresh pear

Tung-li). Pottery of the colour of pine spikelets is manu- ctured from light scarlet clay, and a variety of light yellow