Note 221 — Chapter VI · THE TECHNIQUE OF THE MING PORCELAIN

e.g. The P’ing shih, the P’ing hua p’u, and the Chang wu chih, all late Ming works. An extract from the second (quoted in the T’ao lu, bk. ix., p. 4 verso) tells us that “Chang Tê-ch’ien says all who arrange flowers first must choose vases. For summer and autumn you should use porcelain vases. For the hall and large rooms large vases are fitting; for the study, small ones. Avoid circular arrangement and avoid pairs. Prize the porcelain and disdain gold and silver. Esteem pure elegance. The mouth of the vase should be small and the foot thick. Choose these. They stand firm, and do not emit vapours.” Tin linings, we are also told, should be used in winter to prevent the frost cracking the porcelain; and Chang wu chih (quoted ibidem, fol. 6 verso) speaks of very large Lung-ch’üan and Chün ware vases, two or three feet high, as very suitable for putting old prunus boughs in.