Meet the 'plum vases' made for a single flowering branch

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A blossom for a lid? Meet the 'plum vases' made for a single flowering branch

The porcelains below were made centuries and hundreds of miles apart, dating from the 11th to the 14th century. Yet they share the same name: meiping, or "plum vase." The form is known for its small mouth, short neck, broad shoulders and tapering body. Its name is often explained by the idea that the narrow opening was suited to holding only a single branch of plum blossom. But despite this poetic association, meiping were also practical vessels, likely used to store wine and other beverages.

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A blossom for a lid? Meet the 'plum vases' made for a single flowering branch