The image is a Ming dynasty porcelain from the Jiajing period (1522-66), called Wucai 五彩 Wine Jar. Through the examination of this material artefact, we can understand the symbolic significance of both the decorations and the jar itself.

Image Source: Joanna Waley-Cohen, “The Quest for Perfect Balance Taste and Gastronomy in Imperial China,” in Food: The History of Taste, ed. Paul Freedman et al. (Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2007), 114.

Bibliography

Medley, Margaret. The Chinese Potter: A Practical History of Chinese Ceramics. London: Phaidon Press, 1999.

Needham, Joseph.  Science and Civilisation in China. Vol. 2, History of Scientific Thought. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1956.

Rochat de la Vallee, Elisabeth.  Wuxing: The Five Elements in Classical Chinese Texts.  London: Monkey Press, 2009.

St. Clair, Kassia. The Secret Lives of Colour. London: John Murray, 2016.