The transitional-period porcelain wares were produced in the wake of the collapse of the imperial kilns when domestic interest in literary subjects were growing and private kilns were customising their wares for new markets.This piece belongs to a collection of blue and white wares of mostly large vases and jars. They are decorated with vigorous narratives of hunting or battle scenes, or more scholarly subject matter. The top section of this vase has a lightly incised band of floral scroll around its rim and depicts three birds, known as paradise flycatchers. The Chinese term for these birds, ‘shou dai niao’, is homophonous with longevity (shou) and generation (dai). The motif of bamboos, peonies, water lilies, and pomegranate symbolise integrity, good fortune and fertility.
