Porcelain brings Ming Dynasty elegance to auction

The timeless beauty of China's cobalt blue-and-white (qinghua) porcelain lies not only in the superb workmanship that has produced a variety of motifs, colors and elegant forms. The poetic names of some of the vessels also contribute to the overall aesthetics of qinghua ware. One example is the baoyue, literally meaning "embracing the moon", a name given to a round, flattened vessel.

A baoyue-style flask vase, dating to the Yongle period, during the reign of Zhu Di of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), will go under the hammer at Christies in Hong Kong in late October. Standing about 24 centimeters tall, it exemplifies the magnificence of Ming-era qinghua artistry, while its intertwined floral motifs reflect the cultural exchanges between ancient China and the wider world.

The auction will be held as part of a series of sales of Chinese art and crafts.

Another highlight is a qinghua vase, also from the Ming Dynasty, in the style of a ganlu ping (holy dew bottle), which was used to hold water for Buddhist rituals.

The auctioneer will feature ceramics, classical Chinese paintings and calligraphy, as well as modern Chinese art. A selection of objects from the upcoming sales is touring Beijing, Chengdu in Sichuan province, and Shanghai.