This Swirly patterned bowl was made in the Song Dynasty, but the technology was developed in the previous Tang Dynasty. And this technique was inspired by the production of lacquer ware.

When the workers were carving the lacquer ware, they used two or three different colors of lacquer. They first coated a layer of lacquer on the roughcast, then coated another color after the previous layer had been dry enough. The thickness of the lacquers was uneven for each layer so that the surface was not very flat. When the lacquer coat was thick enough, the craftsman used a small knife to carve the lacquer with typical patterns such as hook, cloud or spiral grass. On the carving appeared different colors and patterns thus created a uncommon decorative effect. Today, this technique is called Ti'xi and still being used (See above image).

When creating the swirly patterned porcelain, the workers used two colors of the clay: brown and white, and occasionally some other colors. The different clay was mixed together, stretched or twisted, so that there different patterns on the clay, then cut it into slices and patched on the roughcast. Sometimes the whole porcelain was made from this kind of mixed clay. By mixing the clay differently the worker could create different patterns such as wood, cloud, water wave, feather or bird wings. It is a very difficult technology to make swirly-patterned porcelain, therefore it was usually for small pieces and mostly used in ceremonial situations such as funerals. Only a few craftsmen knew this technology and after the Song Dynasty it was seldom used anymore. The typical swirly-patterned porcelain includes cups, bowls, small dishes and pillows.

Background Knowledge: History of China
 

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