Fire by a circle;
Water by a dragon;
Mountains by a hind.
Pots and vases were made for special occupations, such as those for soldiers, governors, writers, etc. Jacquemart describes a bowl in his collection:
“It is a cup of ‘the learned;’ at the bottom is seen the author, seated under a fir-tree, in deep meditation; his ssé, placed near him, permits him to modulate the songs he may have composed. On the exterior we see the scholar, with his elbows on the table, surrounded by his literary treasures. He reflects, and from his forehead, which he leans on his hand, issues a stroke which unrolls into a vast phylactery, upon which the painter has traced various scenes of the drama to which his genius is giving birth.” In Mr. Avery’s collection is an admirable example of this cup.
Vases, figures, etc., were made for religious uses, and upon the household altars were placed vases for burning perfumes, cups and bowls for wine, images of Fo and other representative deities.
Use was, at the beginning, the motive for the production of all fictile dishes; and china was at first, and it has always been, made for the purposes of the table. Twelve small dishes of fine porcelain were presented to Mrs. Burlingame while at Peking; and the high compliment was enhanced by the fact that they were sent to her unwashed after they had been eaten from by the Chinese owner. The paste and glaze are excellent, and the decoration of the outsides exquisite; but the insides show painting of a much commoner type.
A gift of this kind is considered the height of courtesy in China, where the visitor is treated as a friend.
In Chinese houses are found decorative pieces of the highest excellence and value. It is no uncommon thing for a piece of rare china to sell for a thousand dollars there.
Many of them bear inscriptions, such as: “A precious thing to offer;” “Splendid, like the gold of the house of Jade;” “I am the friend of Yu-Tchouen.”