During the Northern Song Dynasty, various forms of peony patterns appeared, such as broken-branch peonies, cross-branch peonies, twined-branch peonies, etc.
The continued use of these patterns has significantly increased the number of layers of patterns on the vessels.
There are many extant porcelains from this period, such as the round pillow with peony waist made of pearls from the Song Dynasty, and the pillow with peony pattern of white glazed pearls from the Song Dynasty, which are carved with flowers and branches.
In addition, some bowls and dishes are also very famous, such as Song Dynasty white glaze pearl ground peony pattern plates, Song Dynasty white glaze engraved peony pattern ewers, Song Ding kiln white glaze engraved peony pattern folding rim plates, etc.
The rarest one is probably the white-glazed pearl-ground peony-patterned plum vase from the Song Dynasty. As mentioned before, most of the porcelain produced by the Ding kiln in the Song Dynasty was small. Works such as large-scale plum vases are relatively rare.
These are just the peony patterns on Ding porcelain summarized by Chen Wenzhe. In fact, in addition to the Song Dynasty, the peony patterns of the Liao Dynasty are also relatively famous.
The Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties should be the ones we are most familiar with now.
The Song Dynasty was quite special because between the Song and Yuan Dynasties, there were the Liao Dynasty and the Jin Dynasty.
Especially in the middle and late periods of these two dynasties, they were integrated into Chinese civilization.
In the porcelain decoration of this period, they were also deeply influenced by Song culture.
Among them, peony patterns also occupy an important position. The peony patterns created by carving, scratching, printing and painting techniques show different styles.
For example, in the Liao three-color glaze (yellow, green, tea powder glaze), the peony pattern mostly appears in the form of imprinting.
Or print a branch of peony on the bottom of the pure white vessel.
Or print blossoms on the outer wall of the vessel, which has a different artistic effect than carving peonies on the white ground.
For example, the Liao Dynasty Chifeng kiln white glaze carved and painted black peony pattern statue, the Liaowa vat kiln peony pattern plum vase, etc., are all surviving masterpieces from this period.
After the Song and Liao Dynasties, came the Jin Dynasty, during which peony patterns were also commonly used.
The porcelain of this period was also influenced by Song culture in decoration.
Among the glaze decorations, the black glaze convex white pattern is an outstanding manifestation of the Jin Dynasty inheriting and developing the decorative techniques of the Song Dynasty.
The flower or flower-and-bird patterns at this time were an obvious feature of porcelain decoration in the Jin Dynasty.
The decorative techniques of engraving, sealing, ticking, and scratching are still used, and many masterpieces have been handed down from generation to generation.
For example, bean-shaped pillows with green glaze and peony pattern, gold and white glaze boxes with brown peony pattern, red and green bowls with floral pattern, plum vase with black peony pattern on white ground, etc.
This time, every piece of porcelain passed down from generation to generation is very beautiful and has a history of thousands of years. This is not easy.
However, it was not a big dynasty after all, so in the Yuan Dynasty, peony pattern porcelain became even more brilliant.
After the Song, Liao and Jin Dynasties, there was the Yuan Dynasty.
There must be a lot of peony patterns in Yuan blue and white. This was also the heyday of the use of peony patterns.
At that time, in order to strengthen the management of ceramic affairs in the Yuan court, the "Fuliang Porcelain Bureau" was first established in Jingzhen, which enabled the rapid development of porcelain firing technology.
In terms of pattern content, peony pattern is still a major decorative pattern.
And the performance is more layered and complicated than that of the Song, Liao and Jin Dynasties.
In addition to patterns with peonies as a single theme, the combination of peonies and other flowers is also a feature of floral decoration in the Yuan Dynasty.
Among them, the combination of peony with chrysanthemum, camellia and pomegranate flower is more common.
The porcelain produced during this period includes Yuan blue and white jars with peony patterns intertwined with branches, Yuan blue and white phoenixes with peony pattern holding pots, and Yuan dynasty jade pots and spring vases with red ground and white flowers inlaid with peony patterns, etc.
These porcelains can no longer be expressed as treasures, but each piece is a national treasure.
There is nothing we can do about this, because if you look at it carefully, the rule of the Yuan Dynasty did not last long in the country, and there were long periods of war between the founding period and the period of its demise.
Even if it has been stable for several decades, the country has experienced nine disasters every ten years.
Therefore, although Yuan blue and white porcelain was invented in the Yuan Dynasty, it was the Ming Dynasty that really promoted blue and white porcelain.
The peony pattern was further widely used in the Ming Dynasty, and the decorative themes on porcelain were more abundant than in the Yuan Dynasty.
It can be said that plants, animals, scenery and people are all available.
During the Yongle and Xuande years, flowers had an absolute advantage in porcelain decoration.
Flowers often appear in combinations. In addition to peonies being combined with chrysanthemums, tea and pomegranates, the most common combination is with chrysanthemums, tea and lotus, which shows that flowers are unbeatable in all seasons.
The peony patterns in the official kilns in Jingzhen are mostly neat, delicate, clear and beautiful.
The peony patterns in folk kilns are mostly concise, free and unrestrained.
Among them, there are many representative works that have survived, such as the Hongwu Ming Dynasty Hongwu underglaze red teapot with peony pattern, the Ming Hongwu blue and white strange stone peony rhombus pattern plate, the Mingming Shun blue and white peony pattern dish, etc.
After that, there was the third dynasty of the Qing Dynasty, which was known as the prosperous age.
Entering the Qing Dynasty, the development of ceramics entered its heyday.
During this period, the porcelain produced in Jingzhen during the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong dynasties was the most representative.
Its glaze pattern can be described as magnificent and exquisite.
Peony is one of the main flowers in porcelain paintings in the Qing Dynasty, and the painting methods in each dynasty are different.
Among them, the double peonies of the Kangxi Dynasty are the most distinctive.
The double-horned peony is the upper part of the flower, and the two protruding ones look like the horns on an animal's head, hence its name.
Secondly, there are peonies with twisted branches, peonies with broken branches, etc.
In terms of glaze color, whether it is blue and white flowers or colored flowers, in terms of the shape of the vessels, whether they are round or carved vessels, they all appear in large numbers.
Kangxi's enamel vessels often depict peonies in bud, full of life.
Yongzheng peonies are painted on a single vessel, with clusters of flowers and luxuriant branches and leaves.
Pheasants, peonies, and combined patterns of peonies, phoenixes, and peonies and lions are common on enamelware.
The peony pattern during the Qianlong period was even more common, often found in pastel and enamel blue and white.
Even blue-painted gold, single-color glaze, etc.
On pastel vessels, peonies are rarely used alone as decorations, but are often combined with chrysanthemums, peach blossoms, lotus flowers, plum blossoms, etc. to form four-season flowers.
In addition, there are bats, Ganoderma lucidum, rocks, flying butterflies, praying mantises, etc., which together form a lively picture.
The peonies of this period mostly adopted a realistic approach, and the images were generally sparse and full of vitality.
Peonies have always represented wealth, or simply prosperity!
Therefore, there are many official-made porcelains with this kind of peony pattern.
Since it is an official kiln utensil produced by the government, it is very precious.
Precious things are naturally protected and collected by people.
Therefore, there are many porcelains handed down from the Qing Dynasty, including the Kangxi blue ground enamel entangled peony pattern bowl, the Kangxi red ground consecrated enamel peony cup, the Yongzheng famille rose pheasant peony pattern plate, and the Qianlong wood grain glaze pastel peony pattern book.
style ink bed, Jiaqing famille rose dragon and phoenix with peony pattern amphora, Daoguang blue and white phoenix with peony pattern amphora, etc.
It can be said that all types of peony pattern porcelain were available in the Qing Dynasty.
During this period, peony varieties emerged one after another and were ever-changing.
As decorative patterns, they can adapt to the needs of various crafts and deeply affect people's spiritual life and aesthetic consciousness.