Vase with Phoenix-Shaped Ears

1127-1279

This elegant vase represents the aesthetics of the Confucian elite in Song-dynasty China, reflecting values of balance, symmetry, and rectitude. During the Southern Song period, the imperial court was in exile in the southern capital of Hangzhou, after having lost political control of northern China. The celadon color of this vessel’s glaze nostalgically refers to the ancient bronzes and jades prominent in ancestral rituals in the Shang (circa 1600–1050 B.C.E.) and Zhou (circa 1050–256 B.C.E.) dynasties, perceived by the Song elite as a golden era. The gold lacquer on the handle shows that the vessel was most likely repaired in Japan, where celadons were also prized.