CHINA
M. Salvétat says that French keramists have experienced no difficulty in imitating the Tzü-chin glaze, but in China and Japan its production has never been deemed easy. The celebrated Hao Shih-chu, who flourished at the end of the sixteenth century, is said to have been remarkable for his skill in manufacturing monochromes of this kind. The colour varies from chocolate to light brown. Decoration in white slip was often added with excellent effect. In comparatively modern and valueless pieces the Tzü-chin often covers outside surfaces while the interiors have a glaze of impure mazarine blue or green. Specimens of brown monochromes are seldom of large dimensions. Rice-cups, bowls, plates, and small vases are the usual examples. Good pieces generally have designs engraved under the glaze.
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