Stem Bowl

Elevated bowls were used extensively during Ming and Ch'ing (1368-1911) as offering vessels on religious altars, and occasionally for special dining settings. This bowl is decorated in a standard tou-ts'ai palette with the "eight precious things of Buddhism:" lotus, conch, umbrella, vase, unending knot, double fish, canopy, and wheel of the law around the exterior of the bowl. This indicates the vessel was likely used on a Buddhist altar to hold food offerings. The interior of the stem bears an imperial six-character Yung-cheng mark in underglaze blue.