Black glazed hawksbill motif vase with a flower mouth, Jizhou ware, Song Dynasty (960-1279) [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Leaf appliqué was one of the original decoration techniques used on the black glazed ceramics of Jizhou Kiln. Leaves were soaked in a corrosive liquid to extract the veins that were then applied to the interior walls of the vessels already coated with black glaze. A layer of transparent yellow glaze was then applied, followed by the final firing process.