This octagonal headrest is typical of a Song Dynasty (960-1279) Cizhou ware. It is inscribed with poetic couplets and floral designs on both sides of the top surface. The bold sweeping strokes of the calligraphy are in the ‘mishu’ style, or ‘rice script’, which is well suited to the sturdy Cizhou ware. 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.
