Page:Brinkley - China - Volume 1.djvu/44

 into his possession and from those in the possession of his friends, he selected eighty-two. Of these he gives pictures, executed with great care in colours and accompanied by descriptions which, though they leave much to be desired, are nevertheless of the greatest value for the sake of both the confirmatory and the original information they afford.

Under the Sung dynasty (960-1260) the principal wares manufactured were seven in number, namely, Ting-yao, Kuan-yao, Kao-yao Lung-chuan-yaoKao-yao, Lung-chuan-yao, [sic] Ju-yao, Chün-yao, and Chien-yao.

The Ting-yao was first manufactured at a place called Ting-chou, in the northern province of Pechili. There is some uncertainty as to the exact date of its origin. According to the pharmacopeia of the Tang dynasty, as quoted by Dr. Hirth, a powder prepared from white keramic ware of Ting-chou was used for medicinal purposes as far back as the seventh century, and it has already been seen that during the Tang dynasty Pechili produced two varieties of white ware called Hing-yao and Tsin-yao. It is possible that confusion may have existed between products presenting so many points of resemblance. At all events, it was not till the Sung period that the Ting-yao of Pechili came into note. It was then a fine stone-ware or semi-porcelain, having light grey pâte. There were three principal varieties of glaze, viz., white, grape colour (purplish), and black. Of these the white was the most important. A work on antiquarian subjects, published in 1387, says:—"Old Ting porcelain is valuable if the paste is fine and the colour white and brilliant. Low qualities are coarse and of a yellowish colour. If it has marks as of tears: they may be taken as evidence of genuineness. Speci-