A Celadon-glazed Four-ridged GUAN vase (Zun)

Sturdily potted in the form of an archaic bronze Zun vessel with heavy flanges on four sides, the vase is shaped with an eight-lobbed flared opening, appearing like a four-petal flower; its globular belly is surmounted by a long and wide trumpet neck (half of the full length), and supported on a splayed foot; the bottom is sealed as a flat base and edgings are attached to the foot ring to present a begonia-style. Flanges run vertically along the flutes on
the neck, belly and foot ring; the lobbed opening undulates smoothly and echoes the concave-convex shape of flanges, achieving a contrast of softness and hardness. It is applied all over (on exterior and interior) with celadon glaze, except for exposing its iron black biscuit at the bottom, and is covered overall with gray crackles, widely known from historical accounts as “ink grains”.