Multi-Glazed Vase
The multi-glazed vase, 86 centimeters in height and 27 centimeters in mouth diameter, was produced by Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln in the Qing Dynasty.
The entire vase features 15 glazes and colors. In porcelain production, different glazes and colors are required to be fired at different temperatures with different techniques.
High-temperature colored glazes such as imitated Ru Kiln glaze, flambé glaze, and blue-and-white glaze need to be fired first in the kiln, and low-temperature colored glazes such as famille-rose glaze and enamel glaze need to be fired later. Therefore, the firing process for this artifact was repeated several times, and any careless move might have ruined the whole piece. Its successful production proved that the imperial kiln in the Qianlong period had fully mastered the firing techniques and characteristics of various glazes.
Twelve images are featured on the belly of the vase, of which six are realistic paintings depicting phoenixes worshiping the morning sun, elephants, and fairylands, among others, with the other six being decorative patterns of animals, plants, and objects symbolizing auspiciousness such as the bats (homophonic with "福 (fu)" in Chinese, meaning "good fortune"), jade Ruyi, ganoderma fungus, and flowers.
The images are all framed like windows on the vase, which is known as Kaiguang (literally, "open light"). At the bottom of the vase is the mark "Made in Emperor Qianlong's reign of the Qing Dynasty".
The multi-glazed vase features a variety of glazes and colors such as high-temperature and low-temperature glazes, overglaze colors, and underglaze colors, earning the reputation of "mother of porcelain".
As the only of its kind preserved to this day, the precious vase embodies the superb porcelain-making skills of its time and the inclusiveness of Chinese culture, contributing to the development and prosperity of porcelain culture in China and even the world.
各种釉彩大瓶
各种釉彩大瓶，清代景德镇御窑厂烧造，瓶高86厘米，口径27厘米。
瓶子从上到下，使用了15种不同的釉彩来装饰。陶瓷加工过程中，不同釉彩的烧制工艺与温度不同。仿汝釉、窑变釉与青花等属高温釉彩，需优先烧制。粉彩、珐琅彩等属低温釉彩，需要后入窑烧制。所以，这件器物需多次入窑出窑，多次烧制，稍有不慎，整器皆毁。其成功制作表明乾隆时期御窑厂已经全面掌握各种釉彩的烧造技艺与性能特点。瓶的腹部有12幅图，6幅为写实图画，绘“丹凤朝阳”“太平有象”“仙山琼阁”等，另外6幅则是吉祥寓意的蝙蝠（与“福”谐音）、如意、灵芝、花卉等。图画皆在框内，好像瓶子上的一扇扇开窗，称为“开光”。瓶底有“大清乾隆年制”款识。
各种釉彩大瓶集高温低温、釉上釉下等多种釉彩装饰于一身，因此这件大瓶素有“瓷母”之美称，传世仅此一件，弥足珍贵。它集中体现了当时高超的制瓷技艺，展现了当时顶尖的制作工艺和海纳百川的文化自信，同时也为中国瓷器文化和世界瓷器文化的繁荣与发展做出了巨大贡献。
