Ancient porcelains on display in HK

Sun Hongqi introduces a blue-and-white vase with a round belly and dragon motifs of Xuande period. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Several porcelains that highlight the ceramic-making excellence of the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties' are on show at the EC Gallery in Hong Kong.

Highlights include a blue-and-white vase with dragon motifs that was made in the Xuande era (1426-1435). The earliest one dates back to the late 14th century - a blue-and-white jar patterned with scrolling peonies that displays the aesthetics of Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), which continued to influence ceramic-making during the Ming Dynasty.

The collection of porcelains was assembled by the Beijing-based Sun Yingzhou Ancient Porcelain Academics Research Society, which was named after the respected antiquity collector and connoisseur Sun Yingzhou (1893-1966).

Sun spent years apprenticing at antique stores and then ran his own antique business. He also put together an immense collection of ancient artworks. He donated more than 3,000 antiques, mostly ceramics, to the Palace Museum between 1949 and 1956. His son, Sun Hongqi, is also a ceramic expert who retired from the Palace Museum and now presides over the society.

The exhibition runs through Saturday.