A Turquoise-Glazed Porcelain Cong-Form Vase

清 孔雀藍釉琮式瓶

China, Qing dynasty (1644-1911)

A turquoise glazed vase of archaistic form imitating the jade Cong vessels of the Shang dynasty. The rectangular square section body is supported on a foot ring, complemented by the circular raised mouth.

The Cong-form vase is a ceramic shape that originated during the Southern Song Dynasty, modelled after the ancient jade cong ritual vessels of the Neolithic Liangzhu culture. The vessel features a square-sectioned columnar body set upon a circular foot and topped with a short, circular neck. The traditional "mask" motifs found on the four corners of ancient jades have been simplified here into linear raised bands (horizontal ribs). While these vases were common in the Southern Song, by the Ming Dynasty they were repurposed as flower vases known as "Yarrow Vases" (Shicao ping 蓍草瓶); larger examples were displayed in formal halls, while smaller versions served as "single-stem vases" in the scholar’s studio.

Smaller examples were produced in significant quantities to be used as imperial gifts. This specific archaistic form remained a staple of official court porcelain through the Guangxu and Xuantong reigns of the late Qing Dynasty.

Peacock blue glaze is a low-fired glaze that uses copper as a colouring agent. It is a traditional glazing technique with a long history in West Asia—specifically in regions such as Iran, Iraq, and Egypt—and was introduced to China via maritime trade during the late Five Dynasties period. However, it was not until the 13th century (Yuan Dynasty) that it began to be produced in regional kilns like the Cizhou system, likely due to the heightened West Asian cultural influences of the era.