Transient Possession, Lasting Delight: Ming and Qing Porcelain Donated by Zande Lou

Shanghai Museum East · East Museum, rear of the Chinese Ceramics Gallery, 3F · Shanghai · –

Key facts

GUAN makes in-depth guides to time-limited special exhibitions: each selected work has commentary and audio in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese and English, and every key fact cites its source.

Dates
Jun 17, 2026 to Feb 22, 2027
Venue
Shanghai Museum East · Pudong · Shanghai
GUAN guide
11 selected works with text and audio in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, and English; free
Highlights
Donated Ming and Qing porcelain highlights imperial kiln craftsmanship and the legacy of Zande Lou collecting.

Donated Ming and Qing porcelain highlights imperial kiln craftsmanship and the legacy of Zande Lou collecting.

In-depth audio guide

Plan your visit

Closed during the exhibition
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Check the museum’s current opening, ticketing and reservation arrangements before visiting. Usually closed on Tuesdays, except public holidays. Dated closures for 2027 await confirmation of holiday arrangements; check the official schedule before a 2027 visit.

Works (11)

  1. 1. White-glazed Dish, Jingdezhen ware Jingdezhen kilns (place of production) · Porcelain, white glaze; H. 6.5 cm, mouth diam. 38.3 cm, foot diam. 27.5 cm · Ming dynasty, Yongle reign (1403–1424) · Shanghai Museum (Zande Lou donation) — A dish almost forty centimetres across speaks through a single white glaze.
  2. 2. Vase with Rocks and Flowers, Jingdezhen Fahua ware Jingdezhen kilns (place of production) · Porcelain, fahua glazes; H. 20.7 cm, mouth diam. 4.2 cm, base diam. 8.9 cm · Ming dynasty, Zhengde to Jiajing reigns (1506–1566) · Shanghai Museum (Zande Lou donation) — Start with the clay outlines: every colour is held inside them.
  3. 3. Zun-shaped Vase with Flanges, Jun moon-white glazed ware Jun kilns (place of production) · Porcelain, moon-white glaze; H. 26.1 cm, mouth diam. 21.8 cm, base diam. 16.9 cm · Ming dynasty (1368–1644) · Shanghai Museum (Zande Lou donation) — Bronze-style flanges under a moon-white glaze that turns faintly blue.
  4. 4. Table Screens with Scenes from Romance of the Western Chamber, Jingdezhen wucai ware Jingdezhen kilns (place of production) · Porcelain, wucai enamels; diam. 23.8 cm · Qing dynasty, Kangxi reign (1662–1722) · Shanghai Museum (Zande Lou donation) — Two round screens, each holding a single scene from Romance of the Western Chamber.
  5. 5. Cowpea-green Glazed Seal Boxes, Jingdezhen ware (a pair) Jingdezhen kilns (place of production) · Porcelain, cowpea-red glaze turned green in firing; H. 2.9 cm, mouth diam. 7.1 cm, foot diam. 3.7 cm · Qing dynasty, Kangxi reign (1662–1722) · Shanghai Museum (Zande Lou donation) — A glaze meant to fire red came out mostly green.
  6. 6. Brush Holder with Landscape, Jingdezhen en grisaille ware Jingdezhen kilns (place of production) · Porcelain, en grisaille enamel; H. 14.8 cm, mouth diam. 18.5 cm, base diam. 18.5 cm · Qing dynasty, Yongzheng reign (1723–1735) · Shanghai Museum (Zande Lou donation) — An ink landscape on porcelain: walk round the brush holder to see all of it.
  7. 7. Zun-shaped Vase with Image of Hundreds of Deer, Jingdezhen famille rose ware Jingdezhen kilns (place of production) · Porcelain, famille rose enamels; H. 44.0 cm, mouth diam. 16.1 cm, base diam. 24.3 cm · Qing dynasty, Qianlong reign (1736–1795) · Shanghai Museum (Zande Lou donation) — In Chinese, deer sounds like prosperity: a vase full of deer is a wish made visible.
  8. 8. Cups with Auspicious Landscape, Jingdezhen ware with enamelled decoration (a pair) Jingdezhen kilns (place of production) · Porcelain, red and blue enamels (liaocai); H. 6.4 cm, mouth diam. 10.7 cm, base diam. 4.5 cm · Qing dynasty, Qianlong reign (1736–1795) · Shanghai Museum (Zande Lou donation) — Two colours, red and blue, are enough for rocks, waves and peaches.
  9. 9. 'Flaming Pearl' Altar Ornament, Jingdezhen famille rose ware Jingdezhen kilns (place of production) · Porcelain, famille rose enamels; overall H. 26.3 cm, base diam. 10.6 cm · Qing dynasty, Jiaqing reign (1796–1820) · Shanghai Museum (Zande Lou donation) — A jewel ringed by flames, made to stand on an altar.
  10. 10. Bowl with Flowers, Jingdezhen famille rose ware with gilt Jingdezhen kilns (place of production) · Porcelain, famille rose enamels and gilding; H. 6.9 cm, mouth diam. 17.2 cm, base diam. 6.5 cm · Qing dynasty, Daoguang reign (1821–1850) · Shanghai Museum (Zande Lou donation) — Four red characters on the base point to a hall in the Old Summer Palace.
  11. 11. Bowls with Floral Scrolls, Jingdezhen doucai ware (a pair) Jingdezhen kilns (place of production) · Porcelain, doucai decoration; H. 7.1 cm, mouth diam. 20.1 cm, base diam. 8.0 cm · Qing dynasty, Daoguang reign (1821–1850) · Shanghai Museum (Zande Lou donation) — A pair of bowls marked with the name of a hall in a prince’s mansion.

Questions

Is there an audio guide for Transient Possession, Lasting Delight: Ming and Qing Porcelain Donated by Zande Lou?

Yes. GUAN selected 11 works from the exhibition, each with text and audio in Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, and English. All of it is free.

When is Transient Possession, Lasting Delight: Ming and Qing Porcelain Donated by Zande Lou on?

Jun 17, 2026 to Feb 22, 2027.

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