A Study on Plant Patterns of Jingdezhen Bluish-White Porcelain in the Song Dynasty from the Perspective of Iconography

Abstract

The Song Dynasty marked the peak period for the development of plant patterns on Jingdezhen bluish-white porcelain, characterized by rich themes, profound connotations and exquisite craftsmanship of epoch-making significance. This paper primarily apply the method of Iconography analysis to conduct an in-depth exploration .Through an in-depth analysis of the visual descriptions of Jingdezhen bluish-white porcelain patterns in the Song Dynasty in terms of thematic classification, compositional principles and decorative techniques; the symbolic meanings of Buddhist symbolism, Taoist metaphors, secular auspicious implications, literati aesthetic orientations and imperial power; as well as the materialized presentation of the Neo-Confucian thought of “investigating things to attain knowledge”(Ge Wu Zhizhi) , the indirect influence of literati interests on artisans' creations, the contemporaneity of the Maritime Silk Road and cross-cultural pattern borrowing, this study further reveals how the plant patterns on Song Dynasty bluish-white porcelain transformed natural forms into a visual language that carries religious beliefs, ethical concepts, and social emotions. Thereby, it provides a new paradigm from the iconographic perspective for the interdisciplinary study of material culture and visual culture in the Song Dynasty.