urn to his own country he introduced great
improvements, both in manufacture and decoration, and made, it is
believed, for the first time, glazed pottery. Soon afterwards
household utensils of lacquer began to go out of use, being replaced
by those made of clay, and a great impetus was accordingly given to
the trade of the potter. Tea, which is believed to have been
introduced into Japan from China in the year 800 does not appear to
have come into general use till the sixteenth century. The "tea
ceremonies" known as the Cha-no-yu came into vogue about the same
time, and undoubtedly had an immense influence on the ceramic art. The
articles used in the "tea ceremonies" included an iron kettle resting
on a stand; a table or stand of mulberry wood 2 feet high; two
tea-jars containing the tea; a vessel containing fresh water; a
tea-bowl. It is not my purpose to describe the many interesting
details of these "tea ceremonies." Suffice it to observe that they
gave a great impetus to the manufacture of costly and elaborate china.
The leaders of society, as we should term them, who took part in these
ceremonies exercised a judicious and enlightened patronage of the
ceramic art. They encouraged rising talent, and welcomed new
developments. There can, I think, be no doubt that Japan, in an
artistic sense, owes much to the frequenters of these "tea
ceremonies." Tea-jars and tea-bowls especially became, under the
patronage and guidance of these men, choice works of art, and were
bestowed by the great and powerful on their friends, by whom they were
greatly cherished and handed down as heirlooms. Some of these
treasures still remain in the country, a large number have been
purchased by art connoisseurs and taken to various parts of the world,
while many, of course, have from various causes perished. Under the
conditions of life which obtained in old Japan the ceramic art reached
a pitch of excellence, not to say glory, which it is never likely to
attain either in Japan or elsewhere. It was emphatically a period of
art for art's sake. The patronage, if I may use a word perhaps not
strictly accurate, of the great artists of those days was exercised in
such a manner as to enable them to employ all their talents, artistic
ideals, and enthusiasm in the direction of producing masterpieces of
their craft.

The secrets of porcelain manufacture are believed to have been brought
to Japan from China about the beginning of the sixteenth century.