Large dated temple vase, Yuan dynasty, dated around AD1327, Longquan ware, Longquan region, Zhejiang province. Stoneware, porcelain-type, incised, carved and with celadon glaze, Height: 72 cm. Sir Percival David Founcation of Chinese Art, PDF 237 © The Trustees of the British Museum

Longquan stoneware vase with long neck and flared mouth. The vase has grey-green glaze. There are carved petals around lower part of the exterior, concentric rings around the neck, and pomegranate scrolls around the body. There is an inscription around the lip.

Inscription around the rim: 栝倉剱川流山萬安社居奉三寳弟子張進成燒造大花瓶壹雙捨入覺林院大法堂佛前永充供養祈福保安家門吉慶者恭定四年丁卯嵗仲秋吉日謹題

Inscription Transliteration: Guacang Jianchuan Liushan Wan’anshe ju feng sanbao dizi Zhang Jincheng shaozao da huaping yi shuang sheru Juelinyuan da fatang fo qian yongchong gongyang qifu bao’an jiamen jiqing zhe gongding sinian dingmao sui zhongqiu jiri jin ti

Inscription Translation: Zhang Jincheng of the village of Wan’an by Liuhua hill at Jianchuan in Guacang, a humble believer in the Precious Trinity (ie Buddhism) has fired a pair of large flower vases to be placed for ever before the Buddha in the Great Hall of Ritual at Juelin Temple, with a prayer that the blessings of peace, happiness and prosperity may attend his family. Respectfully inscribed on an auspicious day in the second month of autumn of the dingmao year in the Taiding period’ [AD 1327]

This tall vase is carved around the ovoid body and neck with peony or camellia scrolls. Its construction is typical of the Yuan dynasty as its base is inserted separately fixed with glaze, and the foot ring left unglazed. Carved around the inner lip are sixty-one characters. This dedication is read counterclockwise 栝倉剱川流山萬安社居奉三寳弟子張進成燒造大花瓶壹雙捨入覺林院大法堂佛前永充供養祈福保安家門吉慶者泰定四年丁卯嵗仲秋吉日謹題 (Guacang Jianchuan Liushan Wan’anshe ju feng sanbao dizi Zhang Jincheng shaozao da huaping yi shuang sheru Juelinyuan da fatang fo qian yongchong gongyang qifu bao’an jiamen jiqing zhe Taiding sinian dingmao sui zhongqiu jiri jin ti ‘Zhang Jincheng of the village of Wan’an by Liuhua hill at Jianchuan in Guacang, a humble believer in the Precious Trinity (ie Buddhism) has fired a pair of large flower vases to be placed for ever before the Buddha in the Great Hall of Ritual at Juelin Temple, with a prayer that the blessings of peace, happiness and prosperity may attend his family. Respectfully inscribed on an auspicious day in the second month of autumn of the dingmao year in the Taiding period’ [AD 1327]). Hobson records that Jianchuan is an old name for Longquan where this vase was made. Guacang is close to Lishui in Zhejiang province.