Vase with five tubes and incised lotus petals

Originating in Zejiang, vases with multiple tubes in celadon glaze were common products of kilns in the Longquan and Wenzhou regions during the tenth century. The design for this piece, which places the multiple tubes around the shoulder and incised lotus petals on the body, was an adaptation of northern potters. This can be verified by cizhou type vases with a similar rounded body with a short neck (Inst. Sil. 1982: 295-6, illu. 63: 4). The function of the shape has been interpreted as either funerary (because grain has been found inside pieces that were buried into tombs) or as a water container used to offer farmers a drink through straws inserted into the tubes. This piece is remarkable for its thick glaze and for the scarcity of such works among northern wares.