Other Ceramics in National Palace Museum, part1

Welcome to the National Palace Museum's collection of ceramics from the Song dynasty! Here you can explore some of the most beautiful and unique pieces from this period. We have a variety of different ceramics on display here, including a Monk's cap ewer with ruby red glaze, Hibiscus-shaped Washer with Bluish-green Glaze, Kuan ware, Vase with phoenix-shaped handles in celadon glaze, Longquan ware, Vase with "Hundred Deer" motif in wucai enamel, White porcelain vase with loops, Xing ware, Sancai figure of a Lokapala, Guardian King, Pottery figure of a standing lady with painted colors, Teapot with blue landscape in falangcai polychrome enamels and Bowl with Blue Landscape in Falangcai Painted Enamels. Come take a look at these incredible artifacts today!

1. Monk's cap ewer with ruby red glaze

This ewer has a top that looks like the kind of cap worn by Tang dynasty monks. That's where it gets its name. It has a pointy spout and a flat handle with a "ju-i" decoration at both ends.

2. Hibiscus-shaped Washer with Bluish-green Glaze, Kuan ware

This is a cosmetics receptacle that was referred to as a "washer" in the past. The whole piece is in the style of a hibiscus, with six petals. The top is modelled to resemble the flower itself in a concave design that ends in a circular indentation in the center.

3. Vase with phoenix-shaped handles in celadon glaze, Longquan ware

This vase is made in the shape of a mallet, with a tray-shaped mouth and a straight neck and body. The neck has two handles in the shape of phoenixes or dragons, in a style that emerged during the early Song dynasty.

4. Vase with "Hundred Deer" motif in wucai enamel

This vase is called the "hundred deer" vase because it has a pattern of 89 deer painted on it. The vase is made of porcelain and is blue and white. It was made during the Wanli reign of the Ming Empire.

5. Pottery figure of ladies playing polo game in sancai tri-color glaze

In the Tang dynasty, people became interested in having more extravagant funerals. This meant that the grave goods – objects buried with the deceased – became more opulent.

6. White porcelain vase with loops, Xing ware

The Xing kilns were an important producer of Northern white wares, located in the NeiQiu and Lincheng regions of modern-day Hepei province. The ceramics manufactured by these kilns are characterized by their fine clay bodies and pure white glaze.

7. Sancai figure of a Lokapala, Guardian King

This sculpture was once used as a tomb guardian to protect against evil. It is very large and has three colors: green, brown, and white. It was given to the museum by the wife of a former Japanese Prime Minister.

8. Pottery figure of a standing lady with painted colors

During the Tang dynasty, funerary rituals were often very elaborate, and often included a lot of grave goods. These were meant to provide for the dead person in the afterlife, and also to show off the wealth of the deceased's family.

9. Teapot with blue landscape in falangcai polychrome enamels

This teapot has a wide mouth and shorter body than most, a curved handle, tubular spout, flat base, and concave foot.

10. Bowl with Blue Landscape in Falangcai Painted Enamels