THE CÉLADON
about the exact position of which opinions differ, some sinologues placing it at Ch'üan-chou-fu, others at Chang-chou-fu with its port of Geh-kong, and others again interpreting the word to signify Amoy waters generally. It does not greatly matter which hypothesis be accepted. The important point is that a large outward commerce was carried on from both places, and that each was easily accessible from Lung-chuan, where quantities of céladon were manufactured at the close of the Sung dynasty. Lung-chuan, though now a poor, comparatively resourceless district, was then a place of considerable wealth, with fine roads in its neighbourhood and brisk tradal connections. Marco Polo, speaking of Zaitun, says:—"The river that flows by the port of Zaitun is large and rapid, and a branch of that which passes the city of Quin-sai (Hang-chow). At the place where it separates from the principal channel stands the city of Ting-ui. Of this place there is nothing further to be observed than that cups or bowls and dishes of porcelain ware are there manufactured." Hugh Murray and Colonel Yule supposed that by "Ting-yui" Marco Polo meant Ching-tê-chên. But Dr. Hirth has ingeniously shown that, in all probability, Ting-ui was no other than Lung-chuan, which during the Sung dynasty was called "Chien-chuan," a name that becomes Tindji in the Shanghai dialect. Dr. Hirth seems to attach undue importance to this identification, owing to his apparent belief that practically all the early Chinese céladons were manufactured at Lung-chuan, whereas it has been shown above that the finest types of such ware belonged to the Ju-yao and Kuan-yao. The specimens exported were undoubtedly of the commoner class for the most part. Their solidity made
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