A 19th Century Qing Dynasty Porcelain Tea Dust Square Vase

An unusual mid-19th century porcelain tea dust glazed vase, of square form, having impressed decoration and character mark to the underside.

The Chinese philosophical symbol of Taijitu or, as it is more commonly known, ‘yin-yang’ decorating this vase stands for ‘dark-light’ and symbolises complementary forces that cannot exist without one another. Together the two halves represent the perfect equilibrium. It is one of the most dominant thoughts of many philosophies and forms the fundamental principle of Taoism.

Qing Dynasty, Tongzhi Period (1862 – 1874)