Jar of cuboid form

This small jar is modelled in the cuboid form with a square mouth. Each of the four vertical faces is decorated with applied beading while modelled lugs in the form of 'chi' dragons decorate the shoulders. The porcelain body is covered with a 'qingbai' bluish-tone glaze.

Although the advent of the Yuan dynasty saw no marked disruption to the Southern Song tradition, it saw the introduction of new decorative techniques, both applied and painted. Moulded and modelled appliqué were used, with beading and studding as the two principal techniques. The transformation of handle loops into serpentine 'chi' dragons was a distinctive achievement of the Yuan potters, adding an exuberance and fanciful dimension to the otherwise restrained Song ceramic forms.