A White-glazed DING Bowl with Incised Lotus Flowers

The bowl is potted with a flared opening and a plump rim, a sloping wall elegantly tightened at the flat bottom of the belly, and is supported on a straight foot ring; the exterior wall is carved with treasure lotus patterns by scraping broad lines and strips in the biscuit to achieve a three-dimensional effect: the lotus is in full bloom, with spreading branches and leaves interlocking with each other to compose a delicate floral frieze around the bowl. It is fully covered in white glaze (which is thickened in partial areas to present a light yellow colour like the tear stains), leaving the carefully trimmed white and thin biscuit exposed at the bottom of the foot ring.

DING wares are usually decorated with techniques of sculpting, incising, carving, stamping, scraping, etc.. In the early Northern Song Dynasty, carving and incising were commonly applied together, the former to depict the contour and the latter to add details.