The jar has an ovoid body carved with overlapping rows of petals covered with a pale blue glaze below the shoulder and neck applied with the animals of the Four Directions, the green dragon (qinglong), the red bird (zhuque), the white tiger (baihu), and the snake-coiled tortoise (xuanwu), all left in the biscuit, as is the pierced center section of the square cover that is made in imitation of tiled roofs. The interior of the jar is glazed..

 Christie's. Fine Chinese Ceramics and Works of Art, New York, 13 - 14 September 2018