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藍

Types of Object
器物類型

Yuhuchun vases

Production of the Yuhuchun first appeared in the Tang dynasty. The pear-shaped vase then grew more popular during the Song dynasty with the formalisation of the shape, and was eventually inherited by the Yuan dynasty as a vessel recognised for its everted rim, narrow neck and bulbous body. The Chinese term Yuhuchun, literally ‘jade bottle spring’, is derived from the Tang dynasty denotation of ‘chun’ (spring) for wine. In addition to being used as a drinking vessel, the Yuhuchun was also used ornamentally as a decorative vase.

玉壺春瓶

玉壺春瓶呈梨狀，形制為撇口、細頸、垂腹。器型創自唐朝，定型、流行於宋朝，元朝承襲之。自唐朝始，酒多以「春」為名，「玉壺春」乃一種酒名，後引申為器型。當然，其功能並不侷限作飲器，更可作花瓶觀賞。

Yuhuchun Vase
Yuan dynasty, 14th century, Jingdezhen

Underglaze-blue decoration
H. 24 cm

Motifs (top to bottom):
Scrolls on rim
Plantain leaves
Key-fret
Pendant lotus panels with cloud motifs
Scrolls
Chrysanthemum, gardenia, peony and lingzhi sprays
Scrolls
Eight lotus panels with cloud motifs
Scrolls on footring

玉壺春瓶
元，14世紀，景德鎮
青花
高24厘米

紋飾（上至下）

卷草紋（口沿）
蕉葉紋
回紋
如意雲紋覆蓮瓣
卷草紋
菊花、梔子花、牡丹、靈芝
卷草紋
如意雲蓮瓣
卷草紋（底足）

Mandarin Duck Yuhuchun Vase
Yuan dynasty, 14th century, Jingdezhen

Underglaze-blue decoration
H. 25cm

Motifs (top to bottom)
Plantain leaves
Key-fret
Lotus petal panels with scrolls
Scrolls
Mandarin ducks amid lotuses
Scrolls
Lotus petal panels
Scrolls

鴛鴦玉壺春瓶
元，14世紀，景德鎮
青花
高25cm

紋飾（上至下）
蕉葉紋
回紋
卷草紋蓮瓣
卷草紋
鴛鴦戲荷
卷草紋
蓮瓣
卷草紋

Mandarin ducks are named yuan and yang for male and female respectively. As stated in Gujin Zhu by Cui Mao, they are mate for life and will die if separated. They are thus also called paired birds. Mandarin ducks are depicted, often playing among the lotuses, to symbolise marital bliss and enduring conjugal cohabitation.

鴛鴦為雄雌水鳥。崔貌《古今注》：「雌雄未嘗相離，人得其一，則一必思而死，故謂匹鳥。」鴛鴦戲荷，象徵婚姻和睦，共諧連理。

Yuhuchun Vase
Yuan dynasty, 14th century, Jingdezhen

Underglaze-blue decoration
H. 27 cm

Motifs (top to bottom)
Plantain leaves
Key-fret
Lotus petal panels with cloud motifs
Coin
Egret amid lotuses

玉壺春瓶
元，14世紀，景德鎮
青花
高27厘米

紋飾（上至下）
蕉葉紋
回紋
如意雲紋蓮瓣
錢幣紋
蓮池、白鷺

Ewers
Ceramic ewers were produced as drinking vessels as early as the 6th century in China. Some Yuan ewers inherited and assimilated earlier vessel forms such as the Yuhuchun, to which would be added a handle and a spout. Some Yuan ewers feature flattened bodies, a form inspired by the portable leather pouches popular among nomadic communities.

執壺
執壺作為飲器，早於公元6世紀便開始被燒製。元代的部分瓷製執壺承襲了前朝器物之型，如玉壺春瓶，然後加上手柄和壺嘴，燒製成壺。此外，元代創燒扁執壺，取遊牧民族中便攜易放的皮囊為原型。

Ewer
Yuan dynasty, early 14th century, Jingdezhen

Underglaze-blue decoration
H. 11 cm

Motifs (top to bottom)
Three-clawed dragon amid clouds
Spout with flaming pearls and gold lacquer repair
Chi dragon on handle

壺
元，14世紀初，景德鎮
青花
高11厘米

紋飾（上至下）
三爪龍、雲紋
壺嘴上見寶珠紋及復修之金漆
手柄為螭紋

Dragon Ewer
Yuan dynasty, 14th century, Jingdezhen

Underglaze-blue decoration
H. 23 cm

Motifs (top to bottom)
Three-clawed dragon with flaming pearl on tail
Scrolls on spout and foot ring

龍紋壺
元，14世紀，景德鎮
青花
高23厘米

紋飾（上至下）
三爪龍、尾繫寶珠
卷草紋（壺嘴及底足）

Peony scroll Ewer
Ming dynasty, 15th century, Jingdezhen

Underglaze-blue decoration
H. 30 cm

牡丹紋壺
明，15世紀，景德鎮
青花
高30厘米

Stem cups
The stem cup, also known as a stem bowl, features a narrow and heightened foot ring. This form was first introduced from West and Central Asia to China as metalware from the 5th to 6th centuries. However, it was not until the Yuan dynasty that stem cups transformed from metalware to a major porcelain product. Given its portability thanks to the heightened foot ring, stem cups were popular drinking vessels among the horseriding Mongolians who preferred travelling with simple dining sets, referring to them also as mashang bei, ‛cup on a horse’. Still a common vessel form found in West and Central Asia during the 13th to 14th century, stem cups were also produced for export during the Yuan dynasty. Moreover, as the Mongol court began to patronise Tibetan Buddhism, stem cups were used as offering vessels to deities in religious practices.

高足杯
高足杯（或高足碗）帶有窄小的高柄，多用作酒器。此器型早於公元5至6世紀，以金銀器為媒介，由中西亞傳入漢土。直至元朝才出現以陶瓷製作的高足杯。高足杯小巧易攜又帶手柄，便於馬上使用，因此受善騎的蒙古人喜愛，故又名「馬上杯」。元朝時瓷製高足杯亦流行於中西亞，成為重要的外銷產品。再者，元室大興藏傳佛教，所以高足杯也用作宗教禮器。

Stemcup
Yuan dynasty, mid-14th century, Jingdezhen

Underglaze-blue and molded decoration
H. 10 cm

Motifs (edge to centre)
Three-clawed dragon chasing a flaming pearl on exterior
Scroll
Four-clawed dragons
Chrysanthemum spray
Lotus panels

高足杯
元，14世紀中，景德鎮
青花、模印紋飾
高10厘米

紋飾（外至內）
三爪龍、寶珠（外）
卷草紋
四爪龍
菊花紋
蓮瓣

Large dishes

Like Mongolians, porcelain consumers in West and Central Asia used large dishes to share food, such as the silver dishes commonly found in Islamic material culture. According to Yingya Shenglan, a travelogue by Ma Huan of the Ming dynasty, “the Persians used large dishes to serve rice, poured on oil and sauces, and then ate with their bare hands.” To appeal to both domestic and foreign demands, the Yuan dishes grew considerably larger than those from the Song dynasty. Another novel innovation was in the composition of the clay material, where kaolin was added to porcelain stone. The large porcelain would remain more stable when fired at high temperatures.

大盤

中、西亞人盛載食物，多用大盤，如伊斯蘭文化中的銀盤。據明朝馬歡《瀛涯勝覽》所述：「波斯人用盤盛其飯，澆酥油湯汁，以手撮入口中而食。」蒙古人亦如是。故元代多製大盤，以切合本國及外銷市場。大盤的燒製得益於新發現的二元配方法，將高嶺土混入瓷土作胎，使器物於高溫燒製時不易變形。