A jingping, or waterpot, is one of the 18 things a Buddhist monk should carry. It was used to carry a water supply during travels, both for drinking and for washing hands. These vessels originated in India, the home of Buddhism, but were later brought to China, Japan, Korea, and other places as the religion traveled east. The Chinese term jingping is a phonetic rendering of the original Sanskrit words. The waterpots that were popular during the Tang and Song dynasties had long, tubular necks, elongated round bellies, round feet, and short, upright spouts attached to the vessel's shoulder. This item is entirely covered in dark tea dust glaze, and has a long neck, elongated bulbous belly, and a round, outwardly curved foot. The spout is attached to the upper half of the belly, with its upper part shaped like an alms bowl or teacup. Unlike commonly found everyday utensils, the jingping falls in the category of specialized Buddhist items, making this black glazed waterpot from the Song dynasty a particularly rare and attractive lot.

H: 29 cm