This porcelain dress worn by Gulinazha 我是娜扎 for the cover of Harper’s Bazaar China November Issue is from Liwen Liang 2025 Fall/Winter collection. As a ceramic artist and fashion designer, Liwen Liang specializes in wearable ceramics that blend traditional Chinese craftsmanship with contemporary fashion.
Jian Zhan (建盏), or “Jian Tea Bowl," is a unique type of ancient Chinese ceramic from the Song Dynasty (10th–13th century). Famous for its glossy black glaze and "oil spot" or "hare’s fur" patterns, it was prized for enhancing tea flavors. Fired at extreme temperatures in Fujian’s kilns, these bowls reflect China’s tea culture zenith.
The Porcelain Palaces 瓷宫 in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province. Built by a 86-year-old grandmother, Yu Ermei, who spent 5 years and 20 million yuan (~2.7 million USD) to complete them at the age of 91 using her own 60,000 porcelain collection.
Jingdezhen is known as the “Porcelain Capital” because it has been producing Chinese ceramics (such as white and blue pottery) for at least 1,000 years, and for much of that period Jingdezhen porcelain was considered to have the finest quality in China.
The Porcelain Palace is built similarly to “Fujian Tulou” or “Hakka earthen dwelling” which I’ve also posted about before.
Pair of Southern Yellow Cattle (Zebu) China (probably Shaanxi province), Tang dynasty (618-907), late 7th century earthenware w/ traces of pigment Baltimore Museum of Art
“Southern Yellow cattle, a Chinese breed depicted here, were primarily used as draught animals to pull farm implements and carts, including those that transported coffins and other furnishings to tombs. Usually yellow or brown in color, the breed is distinguished by a prominent hump and long dewlap, the fold of loose skin hanging from an animal’s throat.”
Pillow in the Form of a Tiger China, Jin dynasty, dated 1182 Cizhou ware: earthenware w/painted slip decoration & transparent glaze Brooklyn Museum display
>Ceramic pillows were initially developed during the Sui dynasty (581-618 C.E.) and remained popular from the 7th to 14th century. Tigers were thought to exorcise evil, based on their association with the Daoist celestial Master Zhang, who lived during the Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 CE). Images of Master Zhang riding his tiger were popular in Chinese folklore and were thought to protect a home from evil spirits and drive away demons of illness.
The delicately painted bird on a bamboo branch is inspired by a popular form of fan painting at the imperial court in the Jin dynasty. This pillow has a rare inscription on the bottom: “purchased for 31 wen on the thirteenth day of the first month of the ren ying year,” a date probably corresponding to 1182.<
Geyou (Ge-type or Ge ware) literally means ‘elder-brother’ ware. According to historical records, there were two brothers (the 章 Zhang brothers) working in Longquan kiln, Zhejiang province during Song Dynasty, one made the typical Longquan celadon style ceramics, the elder made ge ware, produced in his private kiln called 哥窑 Geyao.
Ge ware basically comprises two types—one with two sets of crackles, a more prominent set of darker color interspersed with a finer set of yellowish lines (called “ 金丝铁线 ” ‘golden floss and iron threads’, which can just faintly be detected (pic1,3,6). The other Ge ware is much like Guan ware, commonly with grayish glaze and one set of crackles (pic 2,4,5). There’re also 哥釉青花 Geyou Qinghua which is a combination of Ge ware and blue&white porcelain.
In Chinese, those produced during Song Dynasty from the Geyao kiln are called 哥窑瓷 Geyaoci or Geyao (Pic.1). Those produced during Yuan, Ming, Qing Dynasties are called 仿哥釉, because Song Dynasty Ge ware technique is still considered the highest.
In its subtle elegance, this incense burner reflects the refined sensibility of Song dynasty China’s cultural elite—members of the imperial court as well as newly affluent and well-educated classes of merchants and government officials. The basin of this incense burner, elevated on a lobed foot, contains an artichokelike lotus that opens into two tiers of small, pointed petals and supports a delicately carved waterfowl. Fragrant smoke would have wafted gently from the bird’s mouth and from two holes perforated between its feet. As Song poets and painters praised incense for its efficacy in dissipating gloom and stimulating artistic creativity, connoisseurs treasured its accoutrements as luxurious domestic furnishings. Pieces displaying the extraordinary quality of this incense burner are attributed to the kilns at Jingdezhen in southeastern Jiangxi province, which later became China’s preeminent center for ceramic production.
Gift of Russell Tyson Size: H. 19.1 (7 ½ in.); diam. 15.1 cm (6 in.) Medium: Qingbai ware; porcelain with underglaze molded and carved decoration
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