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Primary sourceArtifactYongle reign, 1402-1424

Yongle Blue-and-White Dish

Yongle reign, 1402-1424

A porcelain dish made during the Yongle Emperor's reign, now held in a museum in Stockholm.

A porcelain dish produced during his reign, showing the artistic achievements of his imperial workshops.

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Round blue-and-white porcelain dish with a scalloped rim, photographed on a clear stand against a dark background. The rim has wave-like patterns and the center has flowers and scrolling vines in cobalt blue on white.
Blue-and-white porcelain dish, Yongle period (1402-1424). Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities, Stockholm.

About this source

What it is

This is a round blue-and-white porcelain dish with a scalloped rim, decorated with flowers and scrolling vines in cobalt blue. It dates from the reign of the Yongle Emperor and is kept today at the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities in Stockholm, Sweden.

Why it matters

Blue-and-white porcelain reached a high point of skill during the Yongle Emperor's rule. Dishes like this show the wealth and craftsmanship of the Ming imperial court, and the skill of the unnamed potters and painters who worked for it.

Look closer

  • What does the detail of the painted design tell you about the skill of the craftsperson?
  • Why might objects like this survive for centuries while written records are lost?
  • What does this object NOT tell us about who made it or how it was used?

This artifact is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Yongle Emperor on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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