Chinese floor vases carry a rich culture with them. They have the widest variation in materials and designs. Chinese vases can bear symbols that must be used particularly for a specific purpose. The rich symbolism in each Chinese vase represents cultures and beliefs that have been observed by people alongside with their existence. For instance, a specific symbol will help promote good health while another may connote prosperity and good relationship. It is therefore a must for one to understand the characteristics that come along with each Chinese floor vase including the color and make, to avoid giving the wrong impression or effect to the owners. This site will better guide you on what to consider when choosing one for your home décor.
A Detailed Guide To Chinese Floor Vases
Table of contents
The art of vase making and pottery itself is known to have originated from the Chinese people and this is what makes Chinese floor vases stand out. In fact, a lot of vases bear inspirations taken from the Chinese culture. Inspirations expressed in the design, the shapes and even in the images drawn to enhance the beauty of each piece, particularly for porcelain and ceramic vases.
Chinese vases are a common sight used as part of Chinese home decor. Admittedly, a lot of interior designers have been using Chinese floor vases and Chinese floor jars to give accent and elegance to any room. This is particularly true to houses and establishments that have been given a tough of Feng Shui belief. Surely, you will see at least one Chinese vase in the room.
Imagery of Chinese floor vases
The graceful lines and rich imagery of Chinese floor vases are perfect for imparting a charming sophistication to any room. Chinese floor vases are seldom equaled in this field. The significance of lines in their calligraphy is reflected as well in their fine paintings and sculptures. The rich culture of the Chinese people and love for arts are etched more clearly in every piece of paintings and mini-sculptures that they executed on their vases.
Ancient Chinese floor vases served much the same decorative purpose as our own wall paintings and tapestries of today. In addition, they were also mystical objects that propitiated the patron deities of the family. In many Chinese homes, both ancient and modern, floor vases are not only used as Chinese decors but more importantly, they attend their altars.
The typical imagery on Chinese floor vases
The images that appear on their vases are taken from their traditional and religious beliefs. Mostly, you will find certain animals and flowers recurring again and again on their pottery. These figures have their specific meaning which may seem a jargon to them. Below are specific meaning born to each figure in a pottery:
Five-clawed dragon - The dragon was believed by Chinese people to have caused rain, good harvest and fertility. However, when it is the image of a five-clawed dragon on Chinese floor vases, this means that the item was exclusively for the use of the Imperial Family. This is because the image of dragons with four claws symbolizes authority and respect. Thus, any pottery that bears the art signifies nobility to the owners.
The lion dog or the dog of Fu (Fu dog) - This figure is depicted on many jars. The dog is sometimes sculpted on the jar. At other times, it is depicted in the drawing. The Fu is an exception to the rule that "barking dogs don't bite". They are known to be proficient in doing both. They symbolize both wisdom and strength, two virtues that occur in combination rarely.
Lotus flowers - This image also occur frequently. Those blooms are symbols for spiritual enlightenment. This is because the people depicted Buddha to be seated on a lotus, making it a symbol of Buddhist. It also signifies purity and one's detachment from the lure of earthly pleasures. A combination of a lotus stem and a lotus pod on the other hand symbolizes marital harmony and sexual union, while lotus seeds symbolize continuous procreation of continuous birth of children.
Chinese floor vases may also feature jade appliqués of sacred Chinese letters or sculpted peaches, the food of the immortals.
Chinese home décor
It is quite easy to tell when a house belongs to a Chinese. This is because the Chinese style of home decoration is often regarded as rich in meaning derived from their rich culture and beliefs. Often, you will see Chinese pots and Chinese vase stands in prominent areas of the house.
Chinese pots were used in ancient time to store water or any liquid food or wines. They went through several changes brought about by the influence of each dynasty that China had. For instance, pots in ancient times had just one shape that served a single purpose and that is to store water or any liquid food. During the Tang Dynasty, pots served another single purpose which was to boil tea. Then during the Song Dynasty, the use of pots extended to holding water, brewing tea and serving wine. During the Yuan dynasty, no changes was made on the use of pots but rather it was focused on the color. What used to be red pots slowly turned into a variation in color including blue and white. Back then, these colors were unacceptable due to Chinese beliefs that these colors connote unlucky things to happen. Fortunately, as time passed, people started to shift paradigm and began to see blue and white as a symbol of elegance. Then finally, during the Ming Dynasty, people became more open minded and with the development of several techniques and modern methods of making pots, a lot more colors came to enhance and pots to how we see them now.
Thus, pots are mostly used for Chinese house decorating because they remind them how rich their culture is and how pots have evolved with the Chinese lifestyle.
Antique Chinese floor vases
Antique Chinese floor vases are great decors, not only because antiques are a source of pride but because they speak of a culture and their quality have been tested by time. And because craftsmen spent a great deal of time learning to perfect their craft, there aren't many of this kind. Thus, making them real collector's items. Antique Chinese vases and antique Chinese jars are also expensive because of the mystery that seems to come with them. As a matter of fact, Western people are willing to spend a huge amount of money just to own one of the symbols of Asia's mysterious and intriguing oriental culture.
Most antique Chinese vases and jars used bronze material. This makes them easier to blend with the rest of the decors in the room because bronze easily adapts any kind of room. So if you want to give a touch of Asian culture to your room, antique Chinese floor vases are a perfect choice.
Chinese incense floor vases (urns)
Many Chinese floor vases are used as incense jars or what we commonly know as urns. These are initially filled with a thin layer of sand to hold the first few sticks of incense burned in them. As stick after stick is consumed in the vase, the layer of incense ash grows higher and higher. Eventually a point is reached when the incense sticks are embedded into a thick layer of ashes. The ashes are never removed from these Chinese floor vases. That is because they are believed to represent all the merits and prayers of the people who burned the incense.
In these modern times, we associate urns with ashes of the dead or the act of cremation. Families who wish to keep their departed loved ones with them, burn their dead and keep the ashes in urns. This is their way of keeping their dead close to them.
Chinese floor vases that are made to hold incense normally have wide bases and upright sides. They have no necks and the mouth of the vase is as wide as the body. Many incense vases are tripods (have three legs). They may be made of metal or porcelain.
As this kind of Chinese vase evolved including its use, modern incense jars or urns started to have varying shapes. Contrary to their ancient shapes and tripod bases, we now see urns that have long or square base and round bodies plus the lid and handle. Samples of these are the dragon urn with square base, the large jade goal urn, small stone Chinese ancestral urn and a lot more.
Many of the modern incense jars are reproductions of ancient Chinese floor vases. They are done in traditional glazes like the celadon or the blue and white style. A number of them are done in the ornate style of the Chin period. Among the most attractive Chinese incense vases are those executed in Cloissone. This type of Chinese floor vases uses metal which is inlaid with semi-precious stones. Modern versions of the Cloissone use enamel to decorate the metal instead.
The overall shape of Chinese floor vases
Chinese floor vases come in many varying shapes but two of the rather more popular shapes are those of large Chinese floor vases and tall Chinese floor vases. These kinds though are often used as Chinese house decors by themselves or may be used for floral arrangements.
Large Chinese vases and tall Chinese vases come in many shapes and material used depending on the designer. Both kinds of vases can have a tube shape, tear shape and of course the classic shape. They commonly vary in length and wideness of the body. All the rest of their characteristics are almost the same.
Generally, most Chinese floor vases have a distinct base, a body that curves up, out and then inwards to form the base of a wide neck which continues to the lip. This shape tends to resemble a heart's silhouette. The length and diameter of the neck may vary but it is never narrow in the large Chinese vases. In some cases though, it may be a short stump or a long tube that usually flares out somewhat towards the lip. The wide base keeps the Chinese floor vases from tilting and the wide neck makes it less breakable than those with a slender one.
Many variations exist on that basic pattern. Sometimes the base will assume the appearance of a pedestal. At other times, instead of being heart-shaped, the body will be round or contoured like a drinking flask. You may even encounter Chinese floor vases that have two bodies. These are fertility symbols and will be appropriate for your home if you want to have many children.
Because Chinese floor vases have enormous variations in shape, one must know the exact reason for buying one. Some may come in overwhelmingly huge sizes. These will be difficult to use in an average household. Besides that, the details on these enormous vessels do not look as refined as in the smaller samples due to the wider space that the artist had to fill. On their medium-sized floor vases, Chinese potters have the chance to express their craft in the most artful way. So if what you are looking for is beauty, you should select your items from this general category.
Materials used in Chinese floor vases
Like any other group of vases, the Chinese floor vases use different kinds of materials to give room for wider variety. Among the popular materials used are porcelain and ceramic.
Chinese porcelain floor vases - Porcelain vases are believed to have originated in the province of Zhejiang during the time of Eastern Han period. Others also say that they were first made during the Tang Dynasty. Chinese porcelain vases are created when kaolin and porcelain stones are added to clay. When exposed to high temperatures, a ceramic material of unusual thinness is produced or what is called the porcelain.
Over the years, Chinese porcelain vases and even wares were introduced to the land of the Arabs and the Europe countries whose acceptance of the art was very high. With few modifications, these countries now produce their own version of porcelain vases and wares.
Chinese ceramic floor vases - Chinese ceramic vases are highly accepted as home decors because they easily blend with other furniture with a touch of simplicity and subtle elegance. They come in different types and designs but most people prefer the modern style primarily because they may used in perfect harmony with all the rest of the décor in one's home. The antique ones are a bit pricey and hard to acquire too.
Colors of Chinese floor vases
As rich as their culture, Chinese floor vases are also rich in color with specific meaning to it. The white Chinese floor vases though, aside for being a symbol of purity and innocence, do not entail much meaning except the ease in use for decorative purposes because the color easily blends with other colors in the room. They can either be used as centerpieces or simply complement other colors to give an illusion of brightness or large space.
Blue Chinese floor vases on the other hand are believed by Feng Shui experts to connote friendship, good health and good fortune because the color elicits calmness. Because the color blue is very soothing to the eyes, a room filled with such kind of colors will have no space to entertain an angry ambiance but rather one that is full of positive energy like friendliness and calmness.
Red Chinese floor vases on the other hand should be used with due caution to avoid putting a vague meaning to a supposed elegant Chinese home décor. The red color is very attractive and can also connote aggressiveness. Thus, it is very important to use the right shade of red. Pale ones may be used as decorative vases or centerpieces when used with white vases.
While a friendly atmosphere is what everyone wants a room to be, use of bright red-colored vases may mean otherwise. Keep in mind that bright reds are often associated with war. Therefore, using red vases should be done in modest ways and avoid mixing bright red-colored vases in a room filled with bright colored decors too.
Black often mean sorrow or mourning but when it comes to vases and decors, the color bears a totally different meaning. Black Chinese floor vases are best used to give life to dull decors. When properly positioned, black vases can turn around the whole meaning of a décor. Decors with rather monotonous shades tend to be boring. Putting a black vase among them will enhance their color. On the other hand, when a black vase is used as a centerpiece, it will give an effect such that all the other colors would seem to interact with each other.
Chinese vase prices
Because Chinese vases vary in shape, size, material and color, their prices also follow. If you are looking for Chinese vases for sale, you definitely will find your best bet in no time. You can either browse the internet to see the wide selection including the specific details and prices. If you are the type who is quite keen to details, you can visit local stores so that you will be able to see for yourself the exact vase you want to buy. If budget is an issue, you can even haggle with the prices.
Apparently, Chinese vases prices are justified by what they come with. Besides, what may be cheap for some maybe rather expensive for you. Therefore, it is best that you compare prices and specifications before deciding to buy one.
Summary
As a common knowledge, vases are now found everywhere. Their origins are also in great variation. Thus, identifying authentic Chinese floor vases can be difficult. This is further made difficult due to the fact that Japan's pottery style is almost similar to the Chinese style. However, given a clear knowledge of both cultures, identifying Chinese vases will be easier. There are basically two ways to identify vases of Chinese origin. First, check for the imagery used. Chinese floor vases use imagery that are uniquely theirs and speak much of their rich culture and beliefs. Second, Chinese potters use traditional glaze which make them stand out among others.
Aside from the imagery and glaze, vases that bear peculiar details and letterings can be traced to Chinese culture. To know more on how to identify genuine Chinese vases and how to acquire a few of them, you can check the web to be properly guided. However, unless authenticity is an issue, there are many ways to acquire Chinese floor vases. Either they are Chinese inspired or are imitations of the unique trademarks that genuine pieces bear. Apparently, genuine or not, people go for Chinese floor vases because of the unmatched gracefulness and rich meaning that each piece contributes to home decors.