Jar with Wucai Design Fish and Algae Design, Ming dynasty, Jiajing period (1522-1566). Jingdezhen ware. Height 33.9 cm, Diameter of mouth 19.6 cm, Diameter of base 25.3 cm, Diameter of belly 40.4 cm. © Shanghai Museum.

On the basis of the Chenghua Doucai technology, the famous Wucai (blue-and-white polychrome) porcelain was developed during the Jiajing and Wanli periods of the Ming dynasty. Blue-and-white polychrome, gaudy and fervent with simple and natural filling, was once overwhelming. The prevailing of the official polychrome porcelain during the Jiajing reign period was perhaps closely associated with the reverence of Taoism and the belief in exorcising evil spirits with polychrome colors by the Emperor Jiajing himself. The polychrome decorations usually take blue as ground and then five colors of red, yellow, blue, green and aubergine are added. These five colors may not all be available according to the pattern.