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Secondary sourceArtifact14th century

Xiao He Pursuing Han Xin under the Moonlight Vase

Jingdezhen potters · 14th century

A blue-and-white porcelain vase depicting Xiao He's chase to retrieve the general Han Xin for Liu Bang, showing the founder's legend in later art.

This vase depicts the recovery of a key general for Gaozu's cause, showing his legend in later popular art.

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Photo of a tall blue-and-white porcelain meiping vase on a white pedestal against a pale wall. The vase has a short neck and rounded shoulders tapering to a narrow foot. It is painted with a mounted warrior in dark blue riding a horse, with pine trees, rocks, bamboo, and plantain leaves. A band of scrolling motifs runs around the lower body above panels of floral sprays.
Xiao He Pursuing Han Xin under the Moonlight, blue-and-white meiping vase, 14th century. Nanjing Museum.

About this source

What it is

This tall blue-and-white porcelain vase, made by potters at Jingdezhen and now held by the Nanjing Museum, shows the story of Xiao He riding by moonlight to catch up with the general Han Xin, who had tried to leave Liu Bang's service.

Why it matters

The scene refers to an episode in the rise of the future Emperor Gaozu, when his adviser Xiao He persuaded Han Xin to stay and serve, a decision that strengthened Liu Bang's forces. That centuries later potters were still painting this story onto fine porcelain shows how deeply Gaozu's founding of the Han dynasty had entered Chinese popular culture and legend.

Look closer

  • Why might craftsmen choose a dramatic moonlit chase scene to decorate a vase?
  • What does the long popularity of this story suggest about how Gaozu's rise was remembered?
  • What has been simplified or dramatised compared to a written historical account?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Liu Bang (Gaozu of Han) on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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