Meaning and Decoration in Imperial Ceramics

Between the Song and Qing dynasties, a range of decorative techniques and motifs were used, executed in incised and molded decoration, underglaze cobalt blue and underglaze copper red, as well as overglazed enamels. Technological advancements that allowed for decorative variations became increasingly significant after the establishment of the imperial porcelain factory at Jingdezhen during the fifteenth century under the encouragement of Qing-dynasty emperors. The patterns and imagery on Chinese decorative arts are often imbued with wishes for good fortune in general and more specifically for long life, immortality, and plenty, including numerous progeny. These were often created and exchanged to mark important events such as major birthday celebrations. Images making up rebuses constructed of homonyms are also commonly depicted on such wares. Extraordinarily refined decoration with auspicious meaning is common to wares made specifically for emperors. During the Ming and much of the Qing period, specific imagery, such as five-clawed dragons, designated imperial rank and privilege.

Jar
China, Jiangxi Province;
Ming period (1368–1644), late 14th century
Porcelain with underglaze copper red (Jingdezhen ware)

The central section of this large jar is underglaze copper red painted with a traditional Chinese theme called the Three Friends of Winter (suihan sanyou): the pine, plum, and bamboo, which flourish under adverse conditions and are symbols of longevity, perseverance, and integrity, the virtues of the ideal scholar-gentleman. This motif became popular in the visual arts of the imperial court during the Ming dynasty. Recent research has suggested the pronunciation of these three characters is a homonym for “May the Zhu family live long and prosper.” “Zhu” is the pronunciation for the family name of the Ming imperial family and the pronunciation for bamboo.

Dish
China, Jiangxi Province; Qing period (1644–1911), Yongzheng era, 1723–1735
Porcelain painted with overglaze enamels (Jingdezhen ware)

The five bats and eight peaches depicted on the interior and exterior of this elegant dish are motifs filled with auspicious meaning. In Chinese, the words for bat and for happiness are pronounced fu. The five happinesses (wu fu) are health, wealth, longevity, virtue, and natural death. Peaches symbolize immortality and a famous group of eight immortals are often represented by eight symbols of immortality (the number eight is generally considered an auspicious number).

Wine cup
China, Jiangxi Province; Ming period (1368–1644), Chenghua era, 1465–1487
Porcelain painted with underglaze cobalt blue and overglaze enamels (Jingdezhen ware)

Noted for their thin bodies and elegant shapes, porcelains made during the reign of the Chenghua emperor are ranked among the finest examples of imperial Chinese wares. The use of the "joined colors" (doucai) technique to decorate this small wine cup with a design of dragons in floral medallions illustrates a precise and costly technology that was developed in the Xuande era (1426–1435).

Bowl
China, Jiangxi Province; Qing period (1644–1911), Yongzheng era, 1723–1735
Porcelain painted with overglaze enamels (Jingdezhen ware)

The landscape on this bowl consists of elements (nandina, narcissus, rocks, and sacred fungus) that identify a theme that was often used for birthday greetings and New Year's wishes. These wishes are combined with another auspicious theme: the paired quails (shuang’ an), which can be read as a rebus for peace and prosperity. The range and versatility of the opaque overglaze enamel colors are representative of those developed at the imperial kilns and factories at Jingdezhen during the reign of the Yongzheng emperor.

Bowl
China, Jiangxi Province; Ming period (1368–1644), Xuande era, 1426–1435
Porcelain with incised design under glaze cobalt blue (Jingdezhen ware)

The imagery painted on the side of this Ming dynasty bowl, like that on the underglaze copper red decorated jar on display in this section , includes pine, plum, and bamboo, which are grouped together as the Three Friends of Winter. A six-character Xuande reign mark is written on the exterior just below the rim.

Dish
China, Hebei Province: Northern Song period (960–1127)
Porcelain with molded design under glaze (Ding ware)

The dragon was often used as a symbol of imperial power in China; from at least the 14th century, five-clawed dragons were used in ceramics and the decorative arts to represent the emperor, and four-clawed dragons, such as the one chasing a pearl on the interior of this dish, appear on objects that were intended to be used as imperial gifts. The high quality of this dish and its decoration suggest that it may have made for distribution by the court.

Jar
China, Jiangxi Province; Ming period (1368–1644), Chenghua era, 1465–1487
Porcelain painted with underglaze cobalt blue (Jingdezhen ware)

The rare motif of a flying-fish dragon (feiyu) appears to have been used only briefly, during the middle of the Ming period. Its appearance may be related to the tightening of Ming regulations regarding what types of dragons and how many claws different categories of officials and other groups at court were permitted to use. Some have also suggested that flying-fish dragon may be a reference to China's position as the world's most important seafaring empire in the fifteenth century. There is a six-character Chenghua reign mark on the foot of the jar.

Dish
China, Jiangxi Province;
Ming period (1368–1644), mid- to late 15th century (probably Chenghua era, 1465–1487)
Porcelain painted with underglaze cobalt blue (Jingdezhen ware)

A powerful and lithe five-clawed dragon writhes against storming waves on the interior of this dish. Five similar dragons decorate the exterior rim. The theme and the fineness of the porcelain body and the delicacy and control of the painting indicate that this dish was intended for imperial use.

Flask
China, Jiangxi Province; Ming period (1368–1644), early 15th century (probably Yongle era, 1403–1424)
Porcelain painted with underglaze cobalt blue (Jingdezhen ware)

Works decorated with three- or four-clawed dragons were used at the Ming court as gifts from the emperor to his attendants and were also presented to foreign rulers and dignitaries. The large size of this flask suggests that it may have been intended for use in countries such as Iran or Turkey, and similar examples are found in the famous collections in Tehran and Istanbul.

Dish
China, Jiangxi Province; Ming period (1368–1644), Zhengde era, 1506–1521
Porcelain painted with underglaze cobalt blue and overglaze yellow enamel (Jingdezhen ware)

The decoration of fruit and flowers found on this dish re-creates motifs, compositions, and a color scheme common in the early part of fifteenth century. Five floral sprays embellish the interior of this bowl: a camellia in the center of the dish, and a cherry, pomegranate, peach, and litchi on the cavetto. The balance of the composition and quality of the brushwork distinguish this early sixteenth-century work from its fifteenth-century predecessors.

Dish
China, Jiangxi Province; Ming period (1368–1644), Xuande era, 1426–1435
Porcelain painted with underglaze cobalt blue (Jingdezhen ware)

Like the dish beside it, this dish has the design of camellias encircled by peaches, pomegranates, crab apple, and litchi; although chosen primarily for decorative purposes, it contains auspicious symbolic associations. For example, the pomegranate often symbolized the desire for children, the peach represents immortality, and the Chinese word for apple (ping), is a homonym for peace. There is a six-character Xuande reign mark on the side of the dish.

Dish
China, Jiangxi Province; Ming period (1368–1644), Xuande era, 1426–1435
Porcelain painted with underglaze cobalt blue (Jingdezhen ware)

Commissioned throughout the Ming dynasty, dishes decorated with this type of fruit and flower motif were made in several color schemes, including blue and white, yellow and white, and more rarely brown and white. The symbolism of some of these motifs, such as the pomegranate indicating a desire for children, has led some scholars to suggest that dishes with such decoration were produced for women at court. If this was indeed the case, it is possible that the variety in color schemes and decoration may have reflected their different statuses. A six-character Xuande reign mark is on the base.