Important Cultural Property of Japan. Basin, white porcelain with carved lotus design, Northern Song dynasty, 11th century, Ding ware,  Height 12.1 cm; Mouth Diameter 24.5 cm; Weight 852g. Gift of SUMITOMO Group (The ATAKA Collection). © The Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka. Photo Shigeru NISHIKAWA

A large basin with a deep, wide base like this work is called a xin in China. Elegant lotus blossoms are delicately carved on both the interior and exterior of an ivory white body unique to Ding ware. The carving technique, known in Japan as katagiri-bori, is to carve the outline obliquely by holding a knife at an angle, effectively emphasizing the outline. Combed decoration is added to the petals. The body is very light and so thinly potted that one can see the light though the body. The work was fired upside-down to avoid warping and thus the mouth rim is unglazed in order to prevent it from sticking to the kiln ground, The mouth rim is covered with a silver band for both decorative purpose and protection of the unglazed mouth rim. While Ding ware was used in the court from the Tang through the Song and Jin dynasties, this work is one of the masterpieces of Ding white porcelain produced in the Song dynasty.