Yellow-glazed oblate pot saw the ancient people’s cultural confidence in inclusiveness

The Yellow-glazed oblate pot was unearthed from the tomb of Fan Cui in Honghetun Village, Anyang in 1971 and is now preserved in Henan Museum. According to the epitaph, the tomb owner was a general of the Northern Qi Dynasty.

The oblate pot is 20 centimeters high with the whole body yellow-glazed. It’s shaped like a flat apricot pit. This kind of oblate pot appeared in the Northern Dynasty and was popular till the Tang Dynasty.

The same music and dance scenes are printed on both sides of the back of the pot body. The five people are all with deep eyes and high noses, wearing hu hats, narrow sleeve hu clothes and pointed boots.

photo/Henan Museum

On two sides of the pot printed with the same scenes that people dance accompanied by music. All the five men had deep eyes and high noses, wearing whiskers, narrow sleeves, and pointed boots.

Huteng dance is originated from the Shi States of Central Asia. During the Northern Dynasty, the integration of various ethnic groups intensified. With the increasing prosperity of the Silk Road, Huteng dance was introduced to the Central Plains. By the Tang Dynasty, the Huteng dance was very popular. The dancers were usually male Hu people. During the performance, they wore clothes and hats with Hu style.

Since Zhang Qian in the Western Han Dynasty made a thorough exploration of the Western regions, trade between China and the West continued through the Silk Road. In the period of Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, there were frequent wars in the north, but the communication between China and the West was not interrupted. Instead, it showed vitality in the relatively stable era.

As a product of cultural exchange and integration between China and the West, the yellow glazed flat pot shows the cultural inclusiveness of Chinese civilization, as well as the cultural confidence and spirit of embracing all rivers.