Covered jar decorated with goldfish and aquatic plants. Excavated in the eastern suburbs of Beijing in 1955, Ming dynasty, Jiajing period, 1522 - 1566. Porcelain with five-color enamels, wucai, height 46 cm, National Museum of Chinese History, Beijing. © The Israel Museum.

Detail: close up. Covered jar decorated with goldfish and aquatic plants. Excavated in the eastern suburbs of Beijing in 1955, Ming dynasty, Jiajing period, 1522 - 1566. Porcelain with five-color enamels, wucai, height 46 cm, National Museum of Chinese History, Beijing. © The Israel Museum.

Detail: golden carp decoration. Covered jar decorated with goldfish and aquatic plants. Excavated in the eastern suburbs of Beijing in 1955, Ming dynasty, Jiajing period, 1522 - 1566. Porcelain with five-color enamels, wucai, height 46 cm, National Museum of Chinese History, Beijing. © The Israel Museum.

Underglaze blue and overglaze enamel colors decorate this massive wine jar with a continuous scene of large golden carp swimming among various water weeds and lotus flowers. On the base a six-character imperial reign mark reads: "Made in the Jiajing period of the great Ming."

Exhibition 'China: One Hundred Treasures', Jerusalem, August 14, 2001 - January 15, 2002