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 Chinese Blue and White Porcelain Flower Plate - Kangxi Six-Character Mark US $89.00 
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 Chinese Blue and White Porcelain Figures Pencil Vase - Ming US $129.00
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 Chinese Blue and White Porcelain Landscape & Figures Pencil Vase - Qing Kangxi US $129.00
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 Chinese Blue and White Porcelain Flat Vase - 18th C US $99.00
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 Porcelain Blue and White Glaze Chinese Plate Beautiful Antique US $9.99
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 LARGE CHINESE BLUE WHITE PORCELAIN VASE 22" H US $80.00
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 PAIR CHINESE BLUE WHITE PORCELAIN GINGER JAR 9" H US $97.00
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 Antique Vtg Chinese Blue White Porcelain Canisters Jars US $24.99
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 Chinese Blue & White Porcelain Crackled Glaze Four Season Dishes Set *Rare* US $125.00
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 Chinese Blue & White Porcelain Floral Vase US $59.99
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 19th Century Antique Chinese Porcelain Export Blue and White Saucer - P160 US $29.95
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 CNRELIC:Chinese Blue And White Porcelain Pot Qing US $49.99
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 Unusual Chinese white&blue Porcelain Snuff Bottle US $4.90
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 18th Century Antique Chinese Porcelain Export Blue and White Soup Bowl - P159 US $56.00
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 China blue and white porcelain tea wine cup painted classical patterns chinese US $2.99
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 Rare Chinese white&blue Porcelain 2people Snuff Bottle US $.99
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 @ PERFECT @ Antique 18th C Chinese Porcelain Blue & White Export Plate Qianlong US $77.00
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 @ A GOOD @ Antique 18th C Chinese Porcelain Blue & White Export Plate Qianlong US $51.00
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 Antique Blue and White Chinese Porcelain With Phoenix Jar US $699.00
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 Antique Blue and White Chinese Porcelain With Phoenix Vase US $499.00
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 Antique Blue and White Chinese Porcelain Jar with Lid US $749.00
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 Antique Blue and White Chinese Porcelain Ears Vase US $765.00
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 Antique Ming Dynasty Blue and White Chinese Porcelain Vase US $899.00
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 Old Chinese Blue & White Porcelain Vase US $299.00
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 B598: Chinese blue-and-white porcelain ware plate with very good atmosphere US $9.99
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 Chinese blue&white porcelain Eight Immortals figure jar US $288.00
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 Chinese blue&white porcelain flower vase US $416.00
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 Chinese blue&white porcelain flower globular shape vase US $388.00
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 Chinese blue&white porcelain flower pot US $320.00
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 Chinese a pair blue&white porcelain figure vase US $486.00
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 18th Century Qianlong Chinese Export Blue & White Porcelain Deep Dish 8.75" US $64.85
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 Chinese Blue and white Porcelain Figure Bowls US $135.00
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 18th Century Qianlong Chinese Export Blue & White Porcelain Plate 9" US $42.71
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 18th Century Qianlong Chinese Export Blue & White Porcelain Octagonal Plate 9" US $49.04
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 18th Century Qianlong Chinese Export Blue & White Porcelain Plate 9.25" US $42.21
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 Antique Chinese “乾隆年制“ Blue and white porcelain vase US $.99
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 Antique Chinese Canton Export Blue & White Porcelain Plate 8.75" US $15.80
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 Antique Chinese Canton Export Blue & White Porcelain Plate 9" US $15.80
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 Chinese A Pair Blue & White Flower Bird Porcelain Vases US $399.00
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 18thC Antique Qing Qainlong Porcelain Chinese Blue & White Double Happiness Vase US $420.00
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 CNRELIC:Chinese Blue and White Porcelain gourd Vase US $99.00
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 CNRELIC:Chinese Blue and White Porcelain Dragon Vase US $79.99
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 Antique Chinese Blue and white porcelain bowl US $.99
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 Good and amazing 18th-century Chinese porcelain blue and white small square bott US $9.00
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 Rare Chinese white&blue Porcelain Vase&Dragon US $.99
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 Large Antique Chinese Porcelain Dish Blue and White US $695.00
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 ANTIQUE CHINESE PORCELAIN BLUE & WHITE DISH - FRENCH FLEA MARKET FIND US $290.00
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 CHINESE ANTIQUE PORCELAIN BLUE WHITE MEIPING VASE YUAN US $1,480.00
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 Pair Antique Chinese Blue and White Porcelain Ginger Jars US $295.00
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 A Chinese Blue And White Porcelain Plate Design Dragon Phoenix US $600.00
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 Rare Stunning Chinese blue white porcelain dragon vase US $199.00
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 Rare Stunning Chinese blue white porcelain dragon Phoenix vase US $189.00
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 Big Chinese blue white porcelain fish plate US $199.00
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 Big Chinese blue white porcelain plate US $199.00
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 18TH C CHINESE PORCELAIN BLUE AND WHITE FIGURAL HEXAGONAL PLATE US $42.71
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 Rare Stunning Chinese blue white porcelain flower bird pots US $49.00
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 18TH C CHINESE PORCELAIN BLUE AND WHITE PLATE US $45.88
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 Chinese blue white porcelain dragon plate US $179.00
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 Chinese blue white porcelain dragon Phoenix plate US $179.00
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 FOUR SMALL 18TH C CHINESE PORCELAIN BLUE AND WHITE DISHES US $18.98
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 FOUR SMALL 19TH C CHINESE PORCELAIN BLUE AND WHITE VASES US $102.83
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 A SMALL CHINESE BLUE AND WHITE PORCELAIN TEAPOT US $99.99
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 Huge antique chinese porcelain blue white charger platter plate platter US $2,399.00
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 Antique chinese porcelain blue white jar vase marked with wooden base lid US $3,899.99
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 Rare 18th Chinese Blue White Porcelain carved,pot US $6.99
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 Rare 18th Chinese Blue White Porcelain carved Vase（Flowers Figure） US $3.99
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 ANTIQUE CHINESE BLUE&WHITE PORCELAIN RETICULATED INKWELLS. US $47.44
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 Rare 18th Chinese Blue White Porcelain( pí xiū )Statue US $9.99
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 Rare 18th Chinese Blue White Porcelain(Dragon)Cups US $6.99
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 unique Rare,18th Chinese Blue White Porcelain Bowl US $3.99
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 Rare 18th Chinese Blue White Porcelain Bowl (Chick) US $3.99
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 Rare 18th Chinese Blue White Porcelain Carved Pots US $3.99
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 Antique Chinese Porcelain Provincial Blue & White Plate 1800s US $24.51
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 ANTIQUE CHINESE BLUE & WHITE PORCELAIN MINI TEACUP AND SAUCER - TRANSOK US $2.99
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 Chinese Blue White Porcelain Ginger Jar w/Lid MAR12-25 US $160.00
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 Antique Chinese blue & white porcelain vase 15" tall perfect super painting Qing US $30.00
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 Chinese Blue/White Porcelain *Dragon* High Heel Cup US $3.99
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 Pair Chinese Porcelain Blue & White Vases 7 3/4"h US $1,200.00
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 Chinese Blue&White Painted Porcelain Pen Holder SE01-04 US $49.00
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 Pair blue/white Chinese porcelain Child VASE US $110.00
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 6.6" Chinese Blue/White Porcelain Vase US $3.99
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 Chinese Immemoria a pair blue and white porcelain flower&brid mushroom vases US $260.00
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 1917 ANTIQUE CHINESE DECORATED WOOD PANEL WITH BLUE and WHITE PORCELAIN US $299.00
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 Fine Chinese Qing Dynasty period Blue white Porcelain Dragon Vases US $116.00
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Chinese Blue White Porcelain
Blue White Porcelain China
Antique Lamps – Blue and White Is Always Right!
Why is blue and white so popular? Blue & white has been popular for hundreds of years, with its fresh appeal never being out of fashion. It’s interesting, but when we speak of blue and white, we nearly always think of blue and white “china” i.e., pottery and porcelain. The evolution of this ever popular, blue and white, is a fascinating story….
The Chinese first discovered porcelain during the Tang dynasty, 618 AD - 906 AD. By the mid 14th century, during the Ming dynasty, Jingdezhen had Imperial patronage and was the most important centre for the production of porcelain in the world. It was, in fact, the only place that could produce “true” or, hard paste porcelain.
The “secret” of blue and white is cobalt, a natural mineral ore, then confined to Persia, today’s modern Iran. Persia, or rather, Kashan, located near Tehran, held a monopoly on the valuable cobalt, mined in the low hills surrounding Kashan.
The Persians used cobalt for the decoration of white, tin glazed earthenware and, in fact, Kashan was an important centre for the manufacture and distribution of ceramics throughout the Middle East. Here, we are speaking of a 9th and 10th century world, totally unrecognizable to us today with our instant everything and with every part of the world, just hours away! At this time trade between countries was slow, dangerous and arduous, a trading caravan, typically taking a year for the round trip.
Trading caravans from Persia first introduced the Chinese to Persian cobalt; soon to be know in China as “Persian Blue”, the cobalt ore ground to a fine dark blue to black powder. Chinese potters were excited and thrilled with this new product and trading began in earnest with bolts of pure silk exchanged for small packets of Persian Blue.
This trade between China and Persia undoubtedly propelled the Chinese decoration of ceramics into a new direction, with the first truly blue and white porcelain made around 1290 AD.
It was at this period that ceramic decorators were experimenting, especially with the firing techniques, as the cobalt could be unstable with the effect of over or under firing which is one of the reasons that this very early class of Chinese blue and white painting is sketchy with the blue being washy and rather pale.
The term “hard paste” porcelain really refers to the “hard fire” or, high temperature, requiring kilns capable of raising temperatures up to 1250° C / 2300° F in order for the porcelain to vitrify with the hard, white, translucent result we call porcelain.
Whilst porcelain was in its infancy in China, tin glazed earthenware was being produced throughout the Middle East. This was glazed, (a glassy coat over the surface of a ceramic body), with a lead / tin oxide mix which gave an opaque white ground, perfect as a canvas for decorating with cobalt blue. The wares were painted in typically Islamic style with geometric patterns, stylized palms, Arabic script and flowers. Syria was famous for its beautiful blue and white tiles and Turkey for its stunning blue and white Iznik pottery.
Turkish blue and white is known as “Frit ware” and is believed to have been discovered at Kashan, in Persia. Frit ware was a type of artificial, or “soft paste” porcelain, soft paste referring to a “soft fire” or cooler temperature. Iznik blue and white is freely painted in tones of blue with naturalistic subjects of fruiting vines, birds and animals.
Both the Turks and Persians greatly admired the blue and white porcelain imported from China and many of today’s surviving examples of Frit ware are decorated in Chinese style.
By the early 17th century, blue and white Chinese porcelain was “discovered” by European traders and it was the adventurous, seafaring Portuguese trading fleet that shipped the first cargo of blue and white to Amsterdam. The first recorded shipments were in 1602 and 1604. The Portuguese merchants were shocked to find that their cargo was sold out before they knew it and realised they could sell as much porcelain as they could ship!
This early 17th century market demand was so high that it completely rearranged the production and decoration of European pottery. We should remember that at this time porcelain was not being made outside of China and Europe went “porcelain crazy”, fascinated with this exciting new product from this exotic place that hardly anyone knew anything about.
The standard European domestic ware of the time was earthenware, in its variety of forms. Tin glazed earthen ware was known as Delft, from Holland, the same in France, but known as Faience and called Maiolica in Italy. In England, tin glazed ware was also known as Delft, i.e., London Delft, Bristol Delft etc and the finest of all, Irish Delft. These European pottery works were made up of many, very small, potteries usually involving a family, or with one or two employed potters.
With the “secret” of porcelain being discovered in Saxony in 1703, by the middle of the 18th century, many small to large European factories were producing porcelain and by the close of this century, a level of mass production had been achieved.
In England, porcelain making began at Worcester and in London’s Chelsea from about 1748 with most of the following manufacturers producing blue and white decorated in Chinese style. This was based on the fact that the market was, by now, so conditioned to the imported Chinese blue and white that workshops soon started to feel the pressure from the imported Chinese porcelain. This stimulated the potters to decorate their wares in the popular Chinese styles given that manufacturers simply had to produce what the buying public recognised. Today we can admire these sometimes, very sophisticated “Chinoiserie” decorations.
In 1792 -1796 government import duties were increased to reduce the volume of imported wares and this gave great stimulation to the local market. This boost to the ceramic industry resulted in the development of new techniques to increase production.
The English pottery industry was now centered in Staffordshire where hundreds of factories operated. It is also at this point, toward the end of the 18th century, that we see the introduction of transfer printing in underglaze blue on earthen ware pottery and the newly introduced stoneware.
The technique of transfer printing involved an image lifted from an ink loaded, engraved, copper plate, the image being “transferred” onto a tissue. The ink wet tissue was then placed on to the white pottery surface and the image transferred.
The tissue was then carefully lifted away or alternatively, the pottery piece was fired and the tissue burned away in the kiln.
Josiah Spode is given the credit of inventing underglaze transfer printing, with his earliest trials going back to 1784. His first trials involved printing over the glaze, but the prints began to wear away. Eventually, Spode refined his technique by transferring the print onto the unglazed surface, firing, to fix the image, glazing and refiring! The results were dazzling and the way was then open to one of the most successful episodes in ceramic’s history.
Most of the late 18th and early 19th century prints retained their earlier Chinoiserie characteristics, with Chinese river views, pagodas and Chinese landscapes. This transitional period produced a combination of very fine prints. Not only were these in a purely Chinese manner, but also developed into a “Chinglish” style, resulting in some amusing combinations e.g. an English couple strolling through a Chinese landscape. By about 1835, however, prints were predominantly English / European, with British views, country houses, farm scenes, birds and flowers.
By the 1840’s blue and white printed earthenware was a well established process and the demand for printed wares had the manufacturers working to keep pace. Vast new export markets opened to the industry in America, continental Europe and India.
As the 19th century progressed, the story of blue and white begins to change direction. As with all forms of artistic expression, whether ceramics, art or music, the further removed from the original, the greater the changes become.
Mass production and the drive for export markets certainly reduced the quality, with production geared for fast output and less attention paid to artistic merit. As we move through the second half of the 19th century, we see the overall decline in the quality of blue and white transfer printed ware.
One type of blue and white in particular caught the attention of the American market. “Flow Blue” was introduced around 1840 and the American market fell in love with its dark, rather hazy prints, associated with this product.
One interesting story tells of how this, dark, rather inky blue came about. It is said to have been as the result of an accident when a chemical thinning solution was accidentally spilt over wares ready for firing. After firing, staff were shocked to see the result, eventually, to be known as flow blue. By the late 19th century, flow blue was on the table of nearly every American family and today, remains a great favourite of US collectors.
The beautiful printed blue and white earthenware produced throughout the 19th century, is today a subject which delights collectors all over the world. From purely functional table ware, blue and white is found today in places that the late 18th and 19th century potters and transfer printers would never have dreamed of.
Not only is blue and white widely collected, but it now serves as a focal point in many interior design schemes and if you ever have the opportunity to see a blue and white room, you will know why! Pieces thoughtfully placed and arranged on furniture, ideally of the period, can be a sight to behold.
The display of blue and white is traditionally regarded as best seen against a yellow background. Yellow not only compliments both the blue prints, but also the white of the earthenware or porcelain. These combine to produce a beautiful display. When a blue and white antique lamp is added, the look is really dazzling!
There is one more benefit offered by blue and white. Behavioral psychologists have studied the effects of how we perceive colour and how it can effect our moods and attitudes. On the subject of blue and white, conclusions are that we see this colour combination as a perfect balance which is recognised as calming, relaxing and serene and is recommended for any place in which you want to be relaxed. What more can be said?
The Antique & Vintage Table Lamp Co specialise in antique lamps with an on-line range of over 100 unique, antique lamps on line. Lamps are shipped ready wired for the US the UK and Australia. Ask to be included on our mailing list for updates.
For more information you are invited to visit their web site at:-:
http://www.antiquelampshop.com
© The Antique & Vintage Table Lamp Co 2009
About the Author
Maurice Robertson, principal of The Antique and Vintage Table Lamp Co, has had a lifetime’s association with antique porcelain and pottery, with his commercial experience spanning a period of over 45 years,including valuer to the Australian Government’s Incentive to the Arts Scheme. His long experience with antique ceramics and glass also includes dealing with leading museums and numerous international private collections. He has extended his ceramics expertise into the quality table lamps seen on the company’s site and is well known to local and international interior designers who have included many of his table lamps in their projects. He has also supplied items of national interest to the official Sydney residence of the Australian Prime Minister.
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Frequently Asked Questions...
Asian girls trying to be more western or white?
I live in a community where there are a large community of asians. Many of my korean friends say that they like their skin to be more white and that they like blonde hair blue eyes and ect. I am white but quite tan and one of my chinese "friends" told me how I am ugly because I am not porcelain and crud. I am not saying all of them but it seems they idolize Caucasians so much and always want to be more white. Does anyone notice this? Also I don't want to be mean but I never found Asians attractive but I dont go around being mean about it to others.
Answer:
Yes i have noticed this.. ex. many korean women have eye surgery to make their eye's look bigger and they believe that the lighter you are the richer you are. But i have to agree with the others, it's not just asians .. like i know in brazil or some place like that darker people are treated like dirt, and the lighter you are the prettier you are (even if your butt ugly).. i dont know why people do this
