Celadon Zun Vessel with Lotus Design

This zun vessel has a flared mouth, long neck, round body, and tall, flared foot. The upper part of the shoulder has six looped designs. The entire body features eleven tiers of ornamentation. Three tiers embellish the neck; from top to bottom, these tiers are separated by a string-pattern relief and show flying apsaras, floral designs with beast-heads, and a coiling dragon design. The body consists of six layers of lotus petals with the upper sections of the petals hanging downward with the tips of the petals slightly curling outward. Above the foot of the vessel rests a double layer of lotus petals with the outward-curling style. Except for the lining, the entire vessel is covered with a bluish-green glaze. The glaze is thick at the ringed foot. This zun vessel was one of the four lotus vessels (called zun) discovered in the tomb of the Feng family in Jing County, Hebei Province in 1948. The ornamentation themes include lotuses, roundel flowers, and flying apsaras. These designs correspond to Buddhist art forms and reflect the influence of that religion on ceramic art in Northern China.