The short broad shape of this vessel, often described as a truncated bottle (tu-lu-ping), is also found in celadon wares and brown glaze ceramics of the Sung period (960-1280). The various Tz'u-chou kilns of North China evolved an incredible variety of decorative techniques during this era. This bottle displays the brown and white coloration of most Tz'u-chou ware but the combination of an incised pattern overlaid with a white slip which, in turn, is painted with brown floral decor is somewhat unusual. As Tz'u-chou was not a court controlled ware, potters were free to experiment with different designs and techniques.