For centuries, Korea’s ruling class used gold and silver vessels, until Ming-dynasty China’s demands for gold and silver tribute led the Joseon court to exclusively use porcelain and lacquer. An official government-controlled porcelain factory was established near the capital to supply the court’s need for fine ceramics.

Underglaze blue decoration on porcelain reached its high point in the late fifteenth century, shortly after the discovery of domestic sources of cobalt in Korea. After a period of decline, underglaze blue decoration enjoyed a revival in the eighteenth century. While examples such as the large jar show Chinese influence in the bird and flower motifs that adorn it, Joseon-period porcelains developed according to Korean taste. The bright colors and ornamentation of Qing dynasty porcelains with overglaze enamel decoration did not coincide with Korean neo-Confucian values, which preferred the purity of plain white wares, especially for vessels used in rituals.