New Forms - Song/Yuan

7
A CIZHOU ENGRAVED ‘MEIPING’
Northern Song dynasty, 960-1127
磁 州 窯 白 釉 刻 花 梅 瓶 ( 北 宋 960-1127)
Dimensions: 40 cm high
The main section of the stoneware body carved with lotus blooms on a plain ground,
above a smaller band of leaves issuing from the slender and slightly flared foot. The
broad, plain shoulders tapering to a waisted neck with a galleried rim. The foot and
base of the vase left unglazed to reveal the buff-coloured body.
Vases of this shape are generally referred to as a prunus vase or meiping. However,
it is likely that it was originally intended to contain rice wine, used both for storage
purposes or for transportation over longer distances.
The term ‘Cizhou’ is freely used in the literature for pieces with applied slip
designs, produced in a wide variety of kilns, particularly in Hebei and Henan. The
most important is the Cizhou-type site at Guantai in Cixian or Ci county in the
southernmost part of Hebei province in the region formerly called Cizhou. These
kilns created a wide variety of wares, forms and decorative styles, but they were
particularly known for their freely carved and painted decoration, as can be seen on
this rare Meiping.