It was in the early Northern Song period that bluish-white porcelain works called yeongcheong (or yingqing in Chinese), literally meaning “shadow blue”, were first produced in the town of Jingdezhen in China. Ever since, they have been charming aficionados around the world with their thin, white bodies and jade-like tones and luster. This particular item, an incense burner, exhibits a vertical ovoid form. Its upper half consists of a domed lid pierced with a number of holes to allow the fragrant smoke to escape.