Jar with white peonies

Inspired by the cizhou sgraffito technique of Hebei, potters at the gangwa kiln at Chifeng country, Liaoning, tested a multi-step decorative technique on a few pieces: first, the body of the vessel was covered with white slip; then a shallow layer of clay was removed from the background, leaving the raised motif; the veins were then incised on the motif; the background was painted in brown or black (sometimes omitted); and finally a coating glaze was applied over the whole piece. Jars with rounded bodies and short necks, with or without an outward rim, are the predominant shape of these works and peonies the favored motif (WW 1981.8: pl. 7.1, 2; CGK Zenshu 1986 vol. 17: pls. 24, 71).