meiping vase with pomegranate, peach and Buddha’s hand citron

meiping vase with pomegranate, peach and Buddha’s hand citron , early 1700, Kangxi period (1654–1722), Qing dynasty (1644–1911)

Where object was made: China

Material/technique: underglaze; porcelain

Dimensions:
Object Height/Diameter (Height x Diameter): 23.1 x 13.9 cm
Object Height/Diameter (Height x Diameter): 9 1/8 x 5 1/2 in

Credit line: William Bridges Thayer Memorial

Accession number: 1928.1442.a

Not on display

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Label texts

Exhibition Label:
"Circuits of Exchange: The Global Taste for Blue-and-White Ceramics," Mar-2009, Kris Ercums
The motifs used to decorate this vase all have symbolic significance. The pomegranate, because of its abundance seeds, is often associated with virility. The peach in literary stories has long been associated with immortality. In Chinese foshou, the pronunciation for Buddha’s hand citron (Citrus medica var. sarcodactylus), sounds similar to long-life and therefore this exotic, aromatic fruit often symbolizes longevity and happiness. The shape of this vase, known as meiping, is said to be modeled after the curvaceous figure of a young woman and is designed to hold a single plum blossom-a symbol of virtue.