To the' Editor of the Noru-Ciawa Dany News"
Sin—The report in your issue of sly", gpncernibg ancient Kiln sites at Chingteehen, has Just come 10 my ngtise: I should' be. grateful you wil give me space to add some facts to. tha litter report Mr, Sterling S. Beath, who has been Chingtechen, was "supplied. with information which is only" halt, tru Hoo slates that "The present Ching-fe chen came into. existence with the Ch'ing Dynasty."
1 was in Chingtechen from June 7 10, this year and went for the special, purpose. of studying the methods of manufacture, which have not changed for Zeveral hundreds of years, and. to examine the ancient un sites.
Im Chingtechen most of the potters know the site of the. Ming Im perial Factory, apparently Mr. Beath's Tnformant did not; the site is inthe centre of the town and is not at pre-tent being disturbed by the construction of a new road. One may pick up many marked and authentic fragments. of arly Ming wares on. this Ste. They "are collected: by potters who try to, imitate the handwriting the marks andthe colours and glaze of that period, Outside the city there are many carlige kilns, at the Hu 'Tien which fneans lake' eld" and. is s0_ called probably because there are surround Ing the site cultivated marshes where Totus is grown. This is about. four Milles east. of, Chingtechen and is probably: Mr. Beath's "Hothien."
At the Iaiter site. ying ching or shadow" blue" poreelatn was made In tie. Sung Dynasty, also where decorated wares were made inthe ath and, Isth centuries, This. site appears. to. have been" abandoned early in the Ming Dynasty probably for Economic reasons." Other wares of less. importance were made at the 'At Nan Shan, about three miles south of Chingtechen, and at Hsiang. Hu, about eight miles north-east, there are other sites which appear to be' earlier than Hu Tien. There are wares at Hsiang Hu which are almost Indistingulshable from Yueh wares of the Trang" Dynasty. It is Jquite probable that the kilns started [during that period, The writer has brought back several hundreds of fragments and
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.