A White-glazed DING “Dragon” Dish

With a round opening and a plump rim, the dish has a sloping wall and flat bottom supported on a foot ring. It is decorated by both carvings and incising to draw a curled dragon in the bottom of the interior: the dragon head in the centre, with flaring round eyes, broad nose and wide open mouth, horns (like antlers) bent upward, bristle and hair flying back, slim and long sturdy body curled up, the tail winding and sweeping, with its four sharp claws thrusting against the ground. The dragon body, its scales are all scraped out with gradations and three-dimension effect; the bristle and hair, the claws and teeth are vividly incised vertically like silk threads. It is covered overall in white glaze, leaving the opening rim exposed.