
Stoneware
This funeral vessel made in Longquan measure 20.4 cm high with a diameter of 9.3 cm at both the base and the mouth. It consists of a low stemmed foot, an ovoid body, and a multi-tier lid.
The body is divided into five decorated bands, the lowest of which consists of lotus petals. The next band is wide and has swirling lotus patterns and images of animals. The third band has lotus petals, while the fourth band has a hatched pattern. The upper band has six frog images. Surrounding the base of the lid is the indistinct images of six seated Buddhas. The next section consists of an inverted bowl followed by a canopy. The apex consists of a sphere followed by a wavy rim.
For more details, go to the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts: Artifacts, page 176.