Ewer in the shape of the character fu

Biscuit-glazed porcelain

Ewer in the shape of the character fu
Unknown artist
Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) or Republic (1912–1949)
Biscuit-glazed porcelain
1991.1.35
Anonymous Gift

This ornamental ewer represents multiple ways that Chinese wordplay shapes gift exchange. The central vignettes on either side depict a servant presenting a gift to an official in a garden. On the front, the official receives a deer (lu), a visual pun on the Chinese word for official salary. The sinuous shape of the vessel itself, moreover, is a cursive representation of the character fu, meaning good fortune. A third type of wordplay emerges when we imagine this ewer in use. In serving tea or wine with this vessel, the Chinese verbs for “to pour” and “to arrive” (both pronounced dao) are simultaneously invoked. Thus, the vessel imparts the wish for good fortune to arrive. Likely produced at a kiln in southern China, this ewer was originally intended for domestic consumption. (Mapping Mobility: Chinese Objects from the University Art Gallery Collection