Stoneware j, two overglaze yellow enamel dishes & underglaze cobalt blue and overglaze yellow enamel dish; Hongzhi & Zhengde

Jar. China, Shanxi or Henan Province; Ming period (1368-1644), late 15th century (probably Hongzhi era, 1488 - 1505)

Stoneware with trailed slip under glaze and overglaze enamels (Jingdezhen ware). Stoneware with trailed slip under glaze and overglaze enamels (Jingdezhen ware). Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection of Asian Art. 1979.178

The liveliness and sense of movement seen in the decoration of a phoenix and scrolling lotus flowers on this fahua jar that can be dated to the 15th century typifies the decoration that would become popular at Jingdezhen in the following century. Loosely translated as "ruled" or "bound design," the term fahua is often understood to refer to a technique in which primary motifs were outlined with slip and then filled with overglaze enamels, requiring two firings. However, it is also possible that fahua refers to the term falang, the Chinese word for the cloisonné technique that inspired this type of ceramic decoration. Wares such as this were used primarily as sculptures and altar vessels in temples and funerary complexes. The phoenix, which in the early part of the Ming dynasty (1368 - 1644) was often used as a symbol for the empress, is also a symbol of rebirth in Buddhism. Here, the combination of the phoenix and the lotus (a symbol of purity in Buddhist art) indicate that this jar was probably used in a Buddhist temple.

Dish. China, Jiangxi Province; Ming period (1368-1644), Hongzhi era, 1488 - 1505

Porcelain with overglaze yellow enamel (Jingdezhen ware). H. 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm); D. 8 1/2 in. (21.6 cm). Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection of Asian Art. 1979.179

Dish. China, Jiangxi Province; Ming period (1368-1644), Zhengde era, 1506 - 1521

Porcelain with overglaze yellow enamel (Jiangdezhen ware). H. 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm); D. 8 5/8 in. (21.9 cm). Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection of Asian Art. 1979.180

The rounded forms and brilliant yellow glazes of two dishes from the Asia Society Collection, one dating to the Hongzhi era and the other to the Zhengde era (accession number 1979.180), rely on prototypes established in the early 15th century. Ceramics that are glazed with a single color appear to have been used primarily as ceremonial vessels. Yellow pieces like these two dishes are known to have been used to decorate the Altar of Earth (Diqitan), one of the four main altars used in imperial ceremonies and sacrifices. The porcelain body of the earlier Hongzhi-era dish is slightly thinner than the Zhengde piece and the color of the yellow glaze is more mustard-brown on the earlier piece and brighter on the later dish.

Dish. China, Jiangxi Province; Ming period (1368-1644), Zhengde era, 1506 - 1521

Porcelain painted with underglaze cobalt blue and overglaze yellow enamel (Jingdezhen ware). H. 2 1/8 in. (5.4 cm); D. 11 1/2 in. (29.2 cm). Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller 3rd Collection of Asian Art. 1979.181

The decoration of fruit and flowers found on this Zhengde-era dish recreates motifs, compositions, and a color scheme common in the early part of the 15th century. Five floral sprays embellish the interior of this bowl: a camellia in the center of the dish, and a cherry, pomegranate, peach, and litchi on the cavetto. These are painted in underglaze blue, while the yellow ground consists of an enamel pigment applied over the glaze. The large amount of space filled by the floral decoration and the style of the painting distinguish this early 16th-century work from its 15th-century predecessors. Here, the outlines of the flowers and leaves are not as precise, and the different hues are not as skillfully blended as in earlier works.

Asia Society. www.asiasocietymuseum.com