This shard from the Chenghua period (1465-1487), with underglaze blue 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. The motif featured in this piece is that of a lion, sometimes referred to as the “Dog of Fo”, due to its original significance as a guardian of Buddhist temples.
