Double Melon-Shaped Box, Five Dynasties period (907–960). Yue ware; stoneware with underglaze carved and molded decoration, 5.5 × 8.5 × 4.5 cm. Art Institute of Chicago, Gift of Dorothy Braude Edinburg to the Harry B. and Bessie K. Braude Memorial Collection, 2013.230.

The highly skilled Yaozhou potters often drew inspiration from nature. Yet this extremely playful lidded box, vividly crafted in the shape of two melons grown from a leafy vine, still stands out as a rare find. The box’s diminutive size and two internal compartments suggest that it was likely used as a cosmetic container on a lady’s dressing table. Characterized by its abundant seeds and winding vines, the melon was considered an auspicious symbol related to child-bearing and familial prosperity in traditional China. As a result, melon motifs frequently adorned everyday objects.