A complete Chinese dinner service for ten persons consists of 148 pieces. This may be either of porcelain or silver, the latter being used only by wealthy families, while the por­celain is perhaps the more serviceable. Pewter articles were once used a great deal but they are now being rapidly displaced by the porcelain variety. Porcelain produced in Kiangsi Pro­vince is the best, because of the excellent quality of the clay available in the vicinity of PoyangLake where more than a dozen varieties can be found. The town Ching Te Chen in Kiangsi, is responsible for nearly half of the porcelain in China. Its products are exported through the port of Kiukiang—hence they are called Kiukiang porcelains.

Ching Te Chen was one of the most important centres of the Chinese ceramic industry as far back as 200 A.D., and has since that date made the most beautiful china for the Imperial family. The famous "rice" pattern had its origin there.

The porcelain made in Kwangtung Province ind exported through the city of Canton  known as Canton porcelain. This is, however, a grade inferior in quality to the Kiangsi product. There are two distinct styles of table crockery in use. The new style is thin, shallow and round in shape. The decorations consist generally of Chinese figures, flowers and birds, or landscapes. White on both surfaces is the common type, although the coloured variety is always obtainable. The old style of porcelain is thicker, deeper and usually hex­agonal or octagonal in shape. The outer sur­face is usually dark blue or imperial yellow, and covered with antique Chinese designs, while the inner is generally of light blue colour.

Excellent copies of the old porcelain are now made in Kiukiang. These are extremely effec­tive as table decorations and are much admired by foreigners.

Silver table sets are only seen in wealthy families. Each set consists of two wine pots and individual wine cups, soup spoons, pairs of chopsticks, a small dish for nuts or water­melon seeds, and another for soya bean sauce, In addition to these a tiny tray is provided for the wine cup and soup spoon, and a dainty rest for the chopsticks.

Kiangsi Porcelain

A table decorated with beautifully coloured porcelain dishes and a well-made set of the above silver articles pre­sents a display at once highly attractive and ornamental.

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