November 22, 2025
Description
What It Is: A Cizhou "meiping" (plum vase).
Original Use: A jar form with a small mouth, traditionally used as a wine container.
Origin: Cizhou ware, a type of durable stoneware from northern China.
Historical Period: Most associated with the Song, Jin, and Yuan dynasties (approx. 10th-14th centuries).
Key Feature: Known as "the people's ware" for its practical use, contrasting with fine imperial porcelain.
Decoration Technique: The intricate floral pattern is typical of sgraffito (carving).
How Sgraffito Works: Potters carved through a top layer of colored slip (liquid clay) to reveal the different-colored clay body beneath.
License:
Creative Commons — Attribution — Noncommercial
Peter Farell
