Other Ceramics in National Palace Museum, part3

Welcome to the National Palace Museum's collection of ceramics from the Song dynasty! Here, you can explore some of the most beautiful and intricate pieces of pottery from this period. We have a variety of different pieces on display here, including a Sancai figure of a Lokapala, Guardian King, a Pottery figure of a standing lady with painted colors, a Monk's cap ewer with ruby red glaze, a Purple-ground Box with Bird-and-Flower Motif in Fencai Enamels, a Bright Yellow Cauldron with Animal-Mask Decorations, a Ruby Red-glazed Vase, a Warming bowl with celadon glaze, Ru ware, a Narcissus basin in bluish-green glaze, Ru ware and a Pillow in the shape of a recumbent child with white glaze, Ding ware. These are all amazing artifacts that show us how people lived during this time period. Come take a look at these incredible pieces today!

1. Sancai figure of a Lokapala, Guardian King

This enormous sculpture, called Virüdhaka, once served as a tomb guardian used to ward off evil. It is covered mainly with bright green, brown, and white glaze colors. On the head of the heavenly king is a bird with wings as if about to fly.

2. Pottery figure of a standing lady with painted colors

This is a figurine of a woman from the Tang dynasty. The Tang dynasty was a time when people placed a lot of importance on funerary rituals. This often included burying the dead with lots of grave goods.

3. Monk's cap ewer with ruby red glaze

This ewer has a spout that points downwards and a handle that is flat and decorated with a "ju-i" motif at both ends. The vase has a neck that is straight, a belly that is rounded, and a foot that is ring-shaped.

4. Purple-ground Box with Bird-and-Flower Motif in Fencai Enamels

The Empress Dowager Cixi was a powerful woman who controlled the Chinese court for many years. She was known for her luxurious lifestyle and love of jadeite.

5. Bright Yellow Cauldron with Animal-Mask Decorations

This incense burner in the shape of a round ting (cauldron) features two standing handles along the rim. Three tubular legs are joined to the body, and the legs have raised patterns. The entire vessel is covered with bright yellow glaze, which is very translucent.

6. Ruby Red-glazed Vase

Lang Tingji was the governor of Jiangsi during the Kangxi reign. He was ordered to go to Jingdezhen kilns factory to manage the firing of ceramics.

7. Warming bowl with celadon glaze, Ru ware

This bowl was molded. The curves on its wall follow the contour of the mouthrim. The entire vessel is coated in celadon glaze, displaying a bluish green color. Both its interior and exterior walls are covered with crackles stained brown.

8. Narcissus basin in bluish-green glaze, Ru ware

This oval dish has deep, slightly flaring sides and a flat base. It is covered all over in a light blue, highly lustrous glaze, which shows a hint of green at the base. The glaze is slightly thinner at the rim and the corners.

9. Pillow in the shape of a recumbent child with white glaze, Ding ware

Most Tang dynasty ceramics pillows had a three-color glaze or were glazed brown, black, or changsha bronze. There were two types of these pillows, one for sleeping and the other for taking a pulse.