Tang and Song Dynasties Collections
Ding Kiln White Porcelain Baby-shaped Pillow
It is from the Song Dynasty (960-1279) and was unearthed in Chengdu. Its lower part is a boy in a flower-pattern bellyband lying on its side on the couch, sleeping with its left hand under its head and right hand on its chest, head facing upwards and legs crossed. The plate above the boy is the pillow surface. The porcelain pillow, a piece of bedding used by the ancient Chinese in the summer, first appeared in the Sui Dynasty and flourished in the Tang, Song, and Yuan dynasties. The Baby-shaped Pillow is only one type of porcelain pillows, and the Ding kiln and Jingdezhen kiln made the best of them. The Ding kiln, located in today’s Quyang County, Hebei Province, was a famous kiln in the north during the Song Dynasty. It primarily produced white porcelain and other types as well, featuring a yellowish white color and robust body. A vivid figure with a full forehead, chubby cheeks, calm demeanor, smooth porcelain body, and warm colors incorporated together on this Ding Kiln White Porcelain Baby-shaped Pillow presents a gentle and cozy aesthetic.