Decorated with a tropical scene, this kendi (drinking vessel) was made for markets in the Phillipines or Indonesia. The shape was not typically used in Japan, nor was an island landscape something found on Japanese domestic wares. As the new Qing dynasty (1644-1911) sought to secure control over China, private maritime shipping and sea trade was banned between 1654 and 1684. Denied access to Chinese wares, Chinese privateers turned to porcelain made by Japan's Arita kilns, like this vessel, to satisfy markets in maritime Asia. In 1671, one Chinese ship took 700 kendis made in Japan to Batavia, Indonesia, while a second transported 600 in the following year.