Covered Funeral Vase

Rows of carved lotus petals cover this Funeral Vase, reflecting the Chinese assimilation of non-Chinese motifs introduced along with the Buddhist religion. Although this Funeral Vase's exact function has not been determined, there may be links to grain offering jars found in Song tombs in southern China. The shape itself, with so-called spouts on the shoulder, may derive from burial jars in the form of bamboo roots with shoots protruding from the sides.