Prunus Vase (meiping) with Design of Leafy Scrolls

This vessel is a type that became popular in China after the 10th century. Often described as a prunus vase (meiping), it was most likely originally intended as a bottle to hold plum wine. It has a flat base and a shallowfoot rim, with sides that flare into a rounded shoulder. The short neck has straight sides and ends with a bulbous lip. The body is densely incised with a design of stylized leafy scrolls between lines on the shoulder and at the base. The vase is covered with a pale bluish-white glaze, which falls short of the unglazed base. The abstracted scroll design is also found in Chinese metalwork and lacquerware.