This covered box has a moulded form with a concave lid. The centre is decorated with a chrysanthemum flower surrounded by cloud collars or 'ruyi' motifs in underglaze blue and red enamels. The body is has geometric pattern.Ruyi, literally means 'having everything you wish for' in the Chinese language. It was a popular motif that was incorporated into the Vietnamese ceramic tradition.Vietnamese blue-and-white wares were made in the 15th-16th centuries to meet the fall in the supply of Chinese export wares when China banned independent trade. The Vietnamese potters were quick to leverage their production of blue-and-white export wares. Large quantities of these wares were exported to Southeast Asia and beyond. Large concentrations of Vietnamese blue-and-white have been found in Indonesia.
