A bird rests on a branch above a crowded landscape of flowers and rocks on this vase. Unlike the fanciful Korean phoenix, this Chinese bird references the familiar: a long-tailed magpie. Produced between 1620 and 1683, “transitional wares” such as this are known for the kind of informal, painterly decoration seen here based on line drawing, washes of brushed pigment, and layering. Dramatic changes occurred at Jingdezhen in the 17th century as private kilns produced increasing quantities of porcelain. Imperial orders for porcelain declined after 1610, and official kilns ceased activity between 1620 and 1644. Private kilns and workshops supplied porcelain for domestic and overseas markets before official kilns resumed operation in 1683 with more closely regulated decoration.