This shard from the Chenghua period (1465-1487), with doucai decoration, is one of seven, recovered from the imperial kiln in Jingdezhen. This group of shards comprise sections of bowls, stem cups, and jars. Ceramic pieces that failed to pass the strict quality control of the imperial court were broken to prevent them from being used or copied. These incredibly thinly potted shards were covered with a clear smooth glaze, a measure of the technical brilliance of the potters. This piece shows parts of a floral motif. Doucai has been variously translated as "fitted colours" or "juxtaposed colours". It is a style of decoration which combines underglaze blue with overglaze enamels. The style was perfected in, and most commonly associated with the Chenghua period.
