Song Dynasty Qingbai Glazed Model of a Granary

Southern Song Dynasty, 1127–1275 AD, Jingdezhen kilns, Jiangxi Province, China

A magnificent and rare Qingbai-glazed porcelain granary model from the Southern Song Dynasty, masterfully crafted at the renowned kilns of Jingdezhen. This miniature architectural vessel features a robust, barrel-shaped body with thick walls, set upon a slightly splayed foot. An arched opening, carved into one side, is equipped with a protruding shelf at its base, flanked by applied loops likely intended for a now-lost door. Delicate scroll motifs adorn the façade and the domed roof, which is crowned by a bud-shaped finial—evoking the decorative refinement typical of Qingbai funerary wares.

The entire surface is covered in a translucent pale bluish-white glaze, the quintessential feature of Qingbai porcelain. Where the glaze pools in recesses, it reveals soft celadon-blue tones that enhance the vessel's architectural contours. Qingbai ware, meaning "bluish-white," represents one of the most elegant and technically advanced developments in Chinese ceramic history. Produced in large quantities during the Song period at Jingdezhen, these porcelains are admired for their purity of form, luminous glazes, and restrained aesthetic.

This granary is an example of mingqi (“spirit goods”)—tomb offerings intended to serve the deceased in the afterlife. Such models formed part of elaborate burial assemblages that symbolized prosperity, sustenance, and continuity beyond death. The tradition of miniature granaries evolved from earlier practices during the Six Dynasties and Jin periods, when green-glazed ceramic barns reflected more complex, labor-intensive forms. By the Song Dynasty, the increasing popularity of white porcelain gave rise to streamlined versions like this, emphasizing visual harmony and spiritual symbolism over realism.

The Song era, especially under the Southern Song court, marked a golden age of ceramic innovation and aesthetic refinement. Simplicity, naturalism, and spiritual depth replaced the more ornate tendencies of previous dynasties, reflecting a deeper cultural shift toward introspection and scholarly ideals. Jingdezhen emerged during this time as a central hub for porcelain production, laying the foundation for its later supremacy during the Yuan and Ming dynasties.

Graceful in form and rich in cultural resonance, this rare Qingbai granary is both a technical triumph and a poignant symbol of Song dynasty beliefs surrounding death, continuity, and the comforts of the afterlife.

Good condition. Age-related minimal wear. Chip in the foot and small fracture in the lid, otherwise intact. Discolouring and glazing flaws, glaze recesses, and fritting. Size approx. 14,4cm x 14,5cm x 25,0cm.

Provenance: Finnish private collection.

For a similar example see:

White Glazed Barn, National Museum of History, Accession Number: 82-00203 (https://collections.culture.tw/Object.aspx?SYSUID=14&RNO=ODItMDAyMDM=)

Auction result comparison: Compare with a closely related Longquan shrine at Christies New York on March 22, 2019, in Fine Chinese Ceramics & Works of Art, lot 1618, sold for USD 18,750.

References and further reading:

Song to Yuan dynasties 960–1350, National Palace Museum, Taipei.(https://www.npm.edu.tw/exh99/ceramics/en/page-3.html#main)

The Enchantment of Song, Ying Jang & Annika Waenerberg, 2002, Academia.(https://www.academia.edu/10582197/The_Enchantment_of_Song)