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Fig. 2. Longquan Vase, Ming dynasty. PDF. 238. © Sir Fig. 3. Longquan vase, Ming dynasty, National Palace
Percival David Collection/courtesy the Trustees of The Museum, Taipei, After Green – Longquan Celadon of the
British Museum. Ming Dynasty, Tsai Mei-fen (ed.), Taipei, 2009, pp. 158-9,
no. 81 and front cover.
圖二 明景泰五年（1454年） 龍泉青釉刻纏枝花卉紋鳳尾
尊 大維德爵士舊藏 圖三 明 龍泉青釉刻纏枝花卉紋鳳尾尊 國立故宮博物院藏

There is a very similar vase of the same height in the collection of Sir Percival David, London (see
Illustrated Catalogue of Celadon Wares in the Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art, London, 1997,
p.35, no.238). (Fig. 2) The Percival David vase shares the same decorative scheme as the Fujita vase,
including the protruding line at the junction of lower body and shoulder, and also the two relief lines
around the foot. On the neck of the David collection vase is a panel with an open lotus blossom at the
bottom and a lotus leaf at the top, which contains an inscription incised under the glaze. This reads:

景泰伍年福里鎮安社信人楊宗信喜捨恭入本寺供養□自身延壽者

‘In the ffth year of the Jingtai period [AD 1454], the believer Yang Zongxin of the village of Zhen’an in
the district of Fuli respectfully ofers this [vase] to the local temple to be placed before the Buddha,
with a prayer for long life.’

The National Palace Museum, Taipei has in its collection another vase which is very similar to the
Fujita and David collection vases. (Fig. 3) It too has a related protruding join line at the lower edge
of the shoulder, and also a double band at the foot (see 主編蔡玫芬, 碧緑 : 明代龍泉窯青瓷 /Green –
Longquan Celadon of the Ming Dynasty, Tsai Mei-fen (ed.), Taipei, 2009, pp. 158-9, no. 81 and front
cover). The Taipei vase is slightly smaller than the Fujita vessel, and has been dated by the Museum to
1435-1460. It seems reasonable to assume that the Fujita Ming dynasty Longquan vase also dates to
the mid-15th century.

The Longquanxian zhi (龍泉縣志) (Gazetteer of Longquan County) noted that:

成治以後 , 質粗色惡 , 難充雅玩矣

‘After the Cheng[hua] and [Hong]zhi reigns [AD 1465-1506], the form [of Longquan wares] became so
crude and the colour so unappealing, that they were no longer ft for those of elegant tastes.’

The Fujita Ming vase, therefore, represents the last great period of Longquan celadon production,
when vessels of impressive form and glaze were still made at these prestigious kilns for the court and
other members of the elite.

Rosemary Scott

International Academic Director, Asian Art

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