Of wide and rounded form, the rim unglazed and unbound with metal, resting on a short circular footrim, crisply moulded with two flying geese with its wings stretched, amongst lotuses and leafy vines all beneath a narrow key-fret border, covered overall with an ivory-white glaze.
The decoration on this bowl was executed by using a mushroom-shaped mould. By pressing the mould in the soft clay the craftsmen were able to decorate the vessels with elaborate pre-made design such as the one exhibited here. This movement away from decorating through incising allowed the potters to increase their production rate as their products became more standardized. The craftsmen at the Dingkilns replaced the use of wood for coal in the firing process, causing the glaze to turn a creamy-ivory tone, which is distinctive of Dingyaowares.
- A similar piece with moulded decoration of flowering branches underneath a key-fret border is in the Victoria and Albert Museum collection, museum number: 110-1939
