During the Ming dynasty (1368-1644 CE), the rule of the foreign Mongol invaders broke down, and China was once again under the rule of ethnic Chinese, as the Ming emperors resumed control. Porcelain manufacture reached new heights, as the Ming emperors established official control over the 'Porcelain City' of Jindezhen. This city was located on a tributary of the Yangtze, facilitating the transfer of raw materials necessary for porcelain production, such as wood and clay, as well as the transport of finished goods to points within China, and through the port of Shanghai, to export markets abroad. Nearby deposits of native china clay and feldspar had initially led to the establishment of porcelain production at Jingdezhen, but with imperial patronage, production expanded quickly. At this time, there was no material in the world that commanded a higher price that porcelain; even gold, was not valued so highly. The Ming rulers had a veritable gold mine at their disposal in Jingdezhen, as European and Middle Eastern royalty were willing to pay any price for this precious commodity, which their potters were unable to produce.
This example, from Jingdezhen, is what is called a stem cup. We would call it a goblet, and indeed it was used for drinking. The rich blood-red glaze, developed by using copper oxide in the formulation and firing the climbing kilns in a smoky, reducing atmosphere, was highly unpredictable, and the result by no means a foregone conclusion. It still is so today, as red glazes are the bane of the potter's existence. The Ming emperors were highly discerning, and anything not measuring up to their expectations was rejected. A literal mountain of rejected and wasted pieces exists outside of Jingdezhen. Archaeologists have had a field day with this mountain of shards. This red glaze is sometimes called 'sang de beouf' (literally, blood of the ox in French). Another interesting element of this stem cup is the presence of a hidden decoration (ah hua) within the hollow foot, carved into the base of the bowl. This carved design is invisible unless the piece is held to the light. Then the extremely thin porcelain is translucent and the carved design can be seen. One could imagine that the contents of the cup would be consumed, and as the cup was tilted to drink, that the design would come into view, an extra visual treat for a jaded emperor.
Ming Dynasty Stem Cup, Porcelain with Copper Red Glaze
China, 1368-1400 CE, 4" height
