This cizhou-type jar of ovoid form is decorated with an incised fish pattern, enclosed within two pairs of incised lines on the upper body.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.
