There are minor differences in inscriptions between the two vases, some characters have been changed in one inscription, but they have essentially the same meaning:[9][10] 信州路玉山縣順城鄉德教里荊塘社奉聖弟子張文進喜捨香炉花瓶一付祈保合家清吉子女平安 至正十一年四月良辰謹記 星源祖殿胡淨一元帥打供 The respectful disciple of the sages, Zhang Wenjin from Jintang Section of Dejiao Lane, Shungchen Village, Yushan County of Xingzhou Circuit, happily presents a set of incense burner and flower vases as prayer for the protection of the whole family and for peace and prosperity of his descendants.

Recorded in reverent remembrance on a propitious day in the 11th year and 4th month of the Zhizheng era, as offering for the Xingyuan temple of Generalissimo Hujingyi.

The ability to commission expensive high quality porcelain from an official kiln, and the use of royal insignias of dragons and phoenixes but with substandard written inscriptions, raised question as to who Zhang Wenjin might have been.

The vases were commissioned during a period of peasant revolts, and it has been speculated the name may have been an alias of the rebel Zhang Shicheng.

The date suggests that the blue-and-white technique was already sophisticated enough by the late Yuan period for works of such quality to be produced.

[12] Isolated examples of blue-and-white ceramics from the Tang dynasty have also been found, for example, a blue and white stoneware plate with floral motif (cobalt-blue pigment over white slip), manufactured in kilns in Gongxian, Henan, was found in the Belitung shipwreck, dated ca.

[13][14] As the only firmly dated Yuan dynasty porcelains for many years, the vases have been considered as "one of the main cornerstones in the chronology of blue and white", and "linchpin in studies of the development of Chinese ceramics with underglaze blue decorations",[15] and the standard by which all other Yuan dynasty blue-and-white pieces may be compared.

The early Ming work Gegu Yaolun (格古要論) described blue and multi-coloured ware as "exceedingly vulgar".