Vase
Ming dynasty
Southern China
Ming dynasty c1475 – 1500
Porcelain enamelled on the biscuit in the ‘fahua’ style, 42
x dia. 27cm
Accession Number LL6067
The ‘fahua’ style of ceramics was produced in China from the 14th to the 16th centuries. It may well have been intended as a less expensive substitute for cloisonné enamels. The bold designs on this type of pot are outlined with threads of clay. After firing the outlined areas are filled with a limited range of coloured glazes.
The origin of the term ‘fahua’ is uncertain but it may mean ‘Buddhist decoration’ and derive from the fact that these wares were very often used in Buddhist temples. This vase features the so-called Eight Immortals of the Wine Cup, a group of poets of the Tang dynasty (618 – 906). They were ‘immortalised’ in the work of the poet Du Fu (712 – 770) and as famous for their drunkenness as for their verse. Their faces have been left unglazed and they are identified by the wine jars they are leaning on.
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