This Cizhou ‘meiping’ (梅瓶) vase has a high, rounded shoulder which tapers to a narrower footrim. It is covered with a black glaze with Chinese characters, "nei fu" (内府, 'palace repository' or 'inner palace') carved on the shoulder. This dish is a type of Cizhou ware produced during the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368).Cizhou is situated at the Ci county of Hebei province but the term ‘Cizhou ware’ has been loosely used to refer to a type of sturdy stonewares produced at several kilns in the northern provinces throughout the Song, Yuan and even Ming dynasties. Cizhou ware was considered popular and utilitarian ware, inferior in status to the other major wares such as Jun and Ding wares that enjoyed imperial patronage.
