The Influence on Cizhou Kiln from Drinking Custom in the Song and Yuan

Yuhuchun (a famous brand of ancient Chinese wine) vase

Yuhuchun vase, also called Yuhuchun pot, the basic shape is a small mouth, thin neck, plump belly, and circled bottom. With a small volume, its exquisite neck curve fits people handling when they tilt it to pour out the wine.

Yuhuchun vase was formed in the Song Dynasty, which was used as the wine pot. It has become a kind of display pottery of appreciation from applied pottery because people loved its beautiful modeling and decoration. In chapter 37 of the Water Margin (All Men Are Brothers), Shi Nai’an says “the bartender takes out two bottles of Yuhuchun, which is the famous and superior wine of Jiangzhou”. We can see that Yuhuchun is a famous brand of ancient Chinese wine. Wulin Market Record of the Southern Song Dynasty writes the many kinds of wines such as Haiyuechun, Penglaichun, Jinbochun, Fuyuchun, Yuhuchun, Qinhuaichun, Fengguchun and so on. Therefore, many experts consider that Yuhuchun vase may come from Yuhuchun wine.

Picture Two Yuan Dynasty Black Flowers Painted On White Vase High 27.6cm, Ring mouth 7cm The 140th picture of the Former Part of Yuan Dynasty of Chinese Porcelain Collected, Shanghai People's Fine Arts Publishing House

Sixi (four ears) vase

Sixi vase is the representative pottery of Cizhou porcelain. It has a thin body, small mouth, circled neck, plump belly, circled bottom and also four ears between mouth and the neck. The ears are used to be tethered. The upper half of Sixi vase would paint white glaze for writing and painting, the lower half would paint black glaze or brown glaze. Sixi vase always decorates words on it. It’s really fashionable in Jin Dynasty (1115-1234) and Yuan Dynasty. There are many vases that write wine words, such as wine, good wine, wines of various shops and so on. From the words on the four ears vases, we will find its main function is holding wines.

Picture Three Song Dynasty Wine, Women, Avarice and Pride Sixi Vase High 28.5cm, mouth diameter 4.7cm, bottom diameter 11.3cm The 73th picture of Selected Pottery from Guangdong Provincial Museum, edited by Guangdong Provincial Museum, Cultural Relic Press