To add to the difficulties experienced by the potters in satisfactorily fulfilling the Imperial demands, it had been reported in 1583 that the supplies of earth from Ma-ts’ang were practically worked out, and though good material was found at Wu-mên-t’o, which is also in the district of Fu-liang, the distance for transport was greater, and as the price was not correspondingly raised the supply from this source was difficult to maintain. Consequently we are not surprised to learn that in this same year another memorial was forwarded to the emperor by one of the supervising censors, Wang Ching-min, asking for alleviation of the palace orders, and protesting specifically against the demands for candlesticks, screens, brush handles, and chess apparatus as unnecessarily extravagant. It was urged at the same time that blue decoration should be substituted for polychrome, and that pierced work (_ling lung_) should not be required, the objection to both these processes being that they were difficult to execute and meretricious in effect. It is stated in the _T’ao lu_[149] that the supply of Mohammedan blue had ceased completely in the reign of Wan Li, and that on the other hand the _chi hung_ or underglaze copper red was made, though it was not equal in quality to the _hsien hung_ or _pao shih hung_[150] of the earlier periods. Both these assertions are based on the somewhat uncertain authority of the _T’ang shih ssŭ k’ao_, and though the truth of the second is shown by existing specimens, the first is only partially true, for there are marked examples of Mohammedan blue in the British Museum and probably elsewhere. Either there were supplies of the Mohammedan material in hand at the beginning of the reign, or they continued to arrive for part at least of the period. The lists of porcelain supplied to the Court of Wan Li may be consulted with advantage, and the extracts from those of the previous reigns may be supplemented by the following, which, though not necessarily new forms and designs, do not appear in the Chia Ching and Lung Ch’ing records:-- =Forms.= Trays for wine cups (_pei p’an_).[151] Beaker-shaped[152] vases (_hu p’ing_ [chch 2]). Flat-backed wall vases in the form of a double gourd split vertically. Chess boards (_ch’i p’an_). Hanging oil lamps[2] (_ch’ing t’ai_ [chch 2]). Pricket candlesticks (_chu t’ai_). See _Cat. B. F. A._, 1910, E 6: a pricket candlestick with cloud and dragon designs in blue and the Wan Li mark. Jars for candle snuff (_chien chu kuan_). Screens (_p’ing_). Brush handles (_pi kuan_). Brush rests (_pi chia_). Brush pots (_pi ch’ung_). Apparently the cylindrical jars usually known as _pi t’ung_. Fan cases (_shan hsia_). Water droppers for the ink pallet (_yen shui ti_). Betel-nut boxes (_pin lang lu_). Handkerchief boxes (_chin lu_). Hat boxes (_kuan lu_). Cool seats (_liang tun_), for garden use in summer. =Motives for Painted Decoration.= _Floral, etc.:_ Lily flowers (_hsüan hua_).