A rare Cizhou painted Tiger-form ceramic pillow. China, Jin Dynasty (1115-1234).Apparently these wer
A rare Cizhou painted Tiger-form ceramic pillow. China, Jin Dynasty (1115-1234).Apparently these were used in bedrooms - not just in tombs. “The hot summer nights in southern China led to a surge in products designed to cool the bed, including ceramic pillows, which were also believed to keep the eyes healthy. In his poem ‘Thanks to Master Huang for the Green Porcelain Pillow’, poet Zhang Lei of the Northern Song dynasty wrote: ‘Pillow made by Gong is strong and blue; an old friend gave it to me to beat the heat; it cools down the room like a breeze; keeping my head cool while I sleep’.”They also were thought to ward off evil spirits. -- source link
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