Stippled inscriptions are almost the only way to mark a long-lasting inscription on high-quality white porcelain, mostly glazed throughout the bowl. Also, since dotted inscriptions are mainly displayed in the process of using white porcelain, informat...
Stippled inscriptions are almost the only way to mark a long-lasting inscription on high-quality white porcelain, mostly glazed throughout the bowl. Also, since dotted inscriptions are mainly displayed in the process of using white porcelain, information on the owner and purpose of the bowl can be grasped in comparison with other types of inscriptions. In the Hanyang city during the Joseon Dynasty, both government offices and individuals used stippled inscriptions to manage changes in the status and use of white porcelain.
Most of the white porcelain marked with stippled inscriptions were high-quality white porcelain made in the Royal kiln, and the dotted inscriptions displayed on these bowls were a device for management regardless of the actual function of the bowl. Therefore, as a way to secure efficiency according to the managers status, various inscriptions are displayed in Chinese characters, Korean, and the signs, and these display methods reveal each difference depending on the period.
In the early Joseon Dynasty, many of the contents of the white porcelain with stippled inscription were mainly marked with changes in ownership relations or owners, and the change in use due to rituals and bowls was also marked on the bowl. As for the method of marking the inscription, some signs were also used, mainly in Chinese characters and Korean characters. In the case of the early Joseon Dynasty, a number of white porcelain with stippled inscription were excavated from residential areas nearby palaces or government offices. This would mean that vessels belonging to a specific government office were frequently used in places other than that government office depending on the situation.
Many of the white porcelain with stippled inscription excavated in downtown Seoul correspond to the early Joseon Dynasty, and the cases of stippled inscription on white porcelain in the 17th and 18th centuries decreased significantly and then increased again in the 19th century. In the late Joseon Dynasty, the excavation volume of white porcelain with stippled inscription decreased significantly, and it is difficult to confirm the management of white porcelain using stippled inscription in the private sector, as it is characterized by being excavated only in some areas, mainly in the palace. Most of the inscriptions were written in Korean, and the place of ownership was mainly marked on the white porcelain. After the 18th century, informations such as kanji (⼲⽀), size, and quantity are added step by step to the place of ownership.