Lotus Tattoo Of The Yuan Porcelain Decoration

In the recent decades the research on blue and white in Yuan Dynasty has focused on its origin, technology, form type, decoration and so forth. However, some important questions are still under debate. As for the origin of blue and white wares in Yuan Dynasty, there exited two different point of views which stresses respectively the exterior influences and local tradition. Closely linked with the original issue, the origin of decorative pattern of blue and white in Yuan Dynasty remains questionable. To seeking for the answer for this question would be helpful not only for the exploration of the origins of blue-and-white but also for the deeper understanding of the cultural significance of ornamental motif on blue and white.Lotus pattern is one of the most popular motif on the blue and white wares in Yuan Dynasty. According to the author's statistics, around 90% wares among the 450 blue and white wares from all kind of publications bare lotus pattern. So it is significant to explore the social and culture meanings revealed by this kind of designs.Applying the archaeological typological method, the author classifies the locus patterns on blue and white of Yuan Dynasty into three categories and each category are divided into several types. Then the author tries to find the origins of the major lotus patterns.On the basis of reviewing the research on the lotus designs by the previous generations of scholars, the author deems that during the Yuan Dynasty lotus pattern appeared not as a result of the development of decorative designs but also as a reflection of the influence of Buddhist art, especially the art of Pure Land sect.