上海博物馆

Introduction

Pottery is a great invention in the history of human civilization. It is the very first human-made object that was created by changing the physical property of raw material.

China's invention of the mature green glazed porcelain, which appeared in the late Eastern Han period, has made great contribution to the development of human civilization. Porcelain is a crown jewel in the ancient Chinese civilization and was only produced in China for a long time in history. Porcelain is the vehicle that introduces and spreads Chinese culture to the world. The manufacture of Chinese porcelain also exerts a lasting influence on the ceramic industry of many other countries in the world.

An outstanding genre of traditional Chinese handicrafts, Chinese ceramics enjoy a long history of production and a wide popularity with myriad products. Ceramic wares have been produced continuously in China till today since its invention around 20,000 years ago. They are versatile daily necessities for everyone. The kaleidoscopic Chinese ceramics encompass a wide range of possibilities: polychrome glazed potteries made in the Tang dynasty (618-907), elegant celadon in the Song dynasty (960-1279), stately imperial porcelains in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties, as well as porcelains made in folk kilns that tell the story of this secular world.

The history of Chinese ceramics not only showcases the birth, growth, and prosperity of Chinese ceramics, but also the role that ceramics play in the history of ancient Chinese society, culture, arts and crafts, as well as its contribution to the communication between China and the world.

Dot for exhibits, pentagram for description

Highlights

Terracotta Gui (cooking vessel)

Painted Pot

Lidded Jar with Carved Design in Black

Jar with a High Handled Lid in Black

White Pottery Zun (wine vessel) with Carved Design

Green-glazed Ding (food vessel) with Animal Head

Celadon Zun (wine vessel) with String Pattern

Painted Dancing Figurine

Green-glazed Pottery Duck

Green-glazed Pot with Double Tape Holes and Cloth Pattern

Green-glazed Jar with Carved Lotus Petals and Six Loop Handles

Green-glazed Jar with Modelled Pavilions, Flying Birds and Figures

Chicken-spout Ewer, Yue celadon

Black-glazed Pot with Chicken-head Spout

Black Pottery Pot with Incised Design of Flying Deer

Green-glazed Pottery Pot with Moulded Appliqué of Human Face

Polychrome Glazed Pottery (sancai) Tomb Guardian

Polychrome Glazed Pottery (sancai) Official Figurine

Polychrome Glazed Pottery (sancai) Figurine of Heavenly King

Polychrome Glazed Pottery (sancai) Horse

Gilt Painted Female Figurine

Polychrome Glazed Pottery (sancai) Cup in the Shape of Conch

White-glazed Kalasa, Gongyi ware

White-glazed Pot with Handles and Stringing Holes, Xing ware

Green-glazed Cup in the Shape of Parrot, Xiangyin ware

Celadon Begonia-shaped Bowl, Yue ware

Marbled Tripod Bowl

Variegated Glazed Ewer, Lushan ware

Celadon Ewer with Brown Poems Decoration

White-glazed Covered Jar with Incised Lotus Petal Design and 'Guan' Mark, Ding ware

White-glazed Openwork House-shaped Pillow with a Modeled Figure, Ding ware

Dish, Ru ware

Two-eared Censer, Guan ware

Lobed Dish from the Ge ("elder brother") Ware

Five-footed Washer from the Ge ("elder brother") Ware

Sky-blue-glazed bowl with Rose Spots, Jun ware

Celadon Meiping Vase with Carved Peony Design, Yaozhou ware

Celadon Li-shaped Censer, Longquan ware

Celadon Covered Jar with Modeled Coiled Dragon, Longquan ware

Tea Bowl with 'Jin Zhan' Mark, Jian ware

Vase with Incised Floral Design on Bead-pattern Ground, Dengfeng ware

Pillow in the Form of a Tiger with a Wild Goose and Reeds

Bluish-white Glazed Pot and Warmer Bowl with Lion-shaped Knob, Jingdezhen ware

Jar with Black Incised Peony Design on White Ground, Chifeng ware

Blue-and-white Dish with Lotus-pond and Multi-treasures Design, Jingdezhen ware

Jar with Underglaze Blue Design of Interlaced Peonies, Jingdezhen ware

Vase with Underglaze Blue Design of Cloud and Dragon and Characters Chun Shou (spring longevity), Jingdezhen ware

Vase with Underglaze Red Design of Cloud and Dragon, Jingdezhen ware

Melon-shaped Jar with Underglaze Red Design of Season Flowers, Jingdezhen ware

White-glazed Ewer in the Shape of a Monk Hat, Jingdezhen ware

Moon Flask with Underglaze Blue Design of Camellia Sprays, Jingdezhen ware

Zun (vase) with White Dragon Design on Blue Ground, Jingdezhen ware

Stem Cup with Underglaze Red Design of Three Fish, Jingdezhen ware

Octagonal Candlestick with Underglaze Blue Floral Design, Jingdezhen ware

Duck-shaped Censer in Plain Tricolor Glaze, Jingdezhen ware

Turquoise-glazed Dish with Underglaze Blue Design of Lotus Pond and Fish, Jingdezhen ware

Dish with Caramel-glazed Design of Interlaced Sprays and Fruits on White Ground, Jingdezhen ware

Multi-colored Jar with Fish and Algae Design, Jingdezhen ware

Multi-colored Bowl with Dragon-boat Design, Jingdezhen ware

Blue-and-white Figure Riding an Animal and Blowing the Conch, Jingdezhen ware

Zhi-shaped Vase with Carved Design of Taotie (a mythical ferocious animal), Jingdezhen ware

Blue-and-white Jar with the Design of Ladies Playing lute, Chessing, Handwriting and Painting, Jingdezhen ware

Blue-and-white Bush Holder with the Design of Characters in All Men Are Brothers, Jingdezhen ware

Gu-shaped Vase with Underglaze Blue and Multi-colored Design of Characters, Jingdezhen ware

Bowl with Enameled Design of Interlaced Rosa Chinensis, Jingdezhen ware

Dish with Multi-colored Design of Double Phoenixes Facing the Sun, Jingdezhen ware

Yellow-glazed Dish with Carved Design of Dragons and Cloud, Jingdezhen ware

Pea-green-glazed Water Container with Carved Design of Cloud, Jingdezhen ware

Cowpea-red Glazed Vase, Jingdezhen ware

Apple-green-glazed Seal-paste Boxes, Jingdezhen Ware (in a pair)

Brush Holder with Famille Rose Design of Feast in Peach and Plum Garden on a Spring Night, Jingdezhen ware

Bluish-green-glazed Cup with a Cover, Jingdezhen ware

Vase with Underglaze Blue and Red Design of Sea and Dragons, Jingdezhen ware

Blue-and-white Vase with Six Dragons, Jingdezhen ware

Famille-rose Enameled Vase with the Bat-and-peach Pattern, Jingdezhen Ware

Bluish-green-glazed Jar with Dragons and Cloud Design, Jingdezhen ware

Vase with Overglaze Red Design of Lotus Scrolls, Jingdezhen ware

Brush Holder with Famille Rose Design of Figures and 'Tang Ying' Mark, Jingdezhen ware

Vase with Enameled Design of Bamboo, Chrysanthemum and Quails, Jingdezhen ware

Covered Bowl with Moulded and Gold-traced Design and a Tea-dust Glazed Stand, Jingdezhen ware

Vase with Famille Rose Design of Eight Immortals, Jingdezhen ware

Gu-shaped Vase with Underglaze Blue Design of Interlaced Lotus and Tang Ying's Inscriptions, Jingdezhen ware

Vase with Underglaze Blue and Red Design of Dragons amid Floral Scrolls, Jingdezhen ware

Blue-and-white Vase with Carmine-red Design of Good Fortune and Longevity and Chi-dragon-shaped Ears, Jingdezhen ware

Vase with Famille Rose Design of Hundred Children at Play and Chi-dragon-shaped Ears with Loops, Jingdezhen ware

Vase with Famille Rose Design of Pomegranate and Halberd-shaped Ears, Jingdezhen ware

Blue-ground Vase with Gold-traced Design of Floral Balls, Jingdezhen ware

Melon-shaped Vase with Famille Rose Design of Flowers and Birds, Jingdezhen ware

Jar with Underglaze Red Design of Fish and Algae, Jingdezhen ware

Vase with Multi-colored Design of Lotus Gathering, Jingdezhen ware

Moon-white Glazed Zun (vase) with Protruding Ridges, Jun ware

Rose-red Glazed Drum-shaped Washer, Jun ware

White-glazed Statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva with 'He Chaozong' Mark, Dehua ware

Square Zisha Ewer with Four Feet, Yixing ware

Zisha Water Container, Yixing ware

Gourd-shaped Vase with Moulded Appliqué of Crane and Deers, Zhangzhou ware

Jun-glazed Vase with Pierced Handles, Shiwan ware

White-glazed Buddha Statue, Zhangzhou ware

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