This authentic Taiwan-Cochin framed FLYING PINK DRAGON ceramic pottery art is brand new in it's original vintage box, with corner covers still in place. This exquisite work of art is at least 50 years old. There are no flaws as on the artwork as displayed in the photo gallery.

 It measures 12 x 9 3/4"inches.

The insert is in two languages. The English version reads; A VERY SPECIAL ART FORM OF TAIWAN-COCHIN CERAMIC Taiwan's artists are the finest creators of Cochin ceramics. This special type of art form originated from southern China. It was introduced into Taiwan in the 18th century and commonly used as decorative motifs in the roof spine of temples. After thousands of art practicing by the Taiwanese artists, Taiwan's Cochin ceramic workmanship has become much more exclusive than its origin. Furthermore, Taiwan became the only kingdom of its making. The subject matter of Cochin ceramics were mostly stories of traditional Chinese belief and au pious symbolic artifacts. It was believed that it has the power to ward off evil spirits, also brings good fortune and good luck to it's owner. It is the combination of sculpting, glazing and ceramic making. Cochin ceramic represents the artistic achievement of the Taiwanese artists. Officials of TAIWAN always give away Cochin ceramics as gifts to honorable guests. It is often taken overseas as presents. Because Cochin ceramic is unusual and precious, using a Chinese saying; "you, the owner, are the one with fate.

Koji pottery, which is also called Cochin pottery, is a polychrome glazed ceramic from Taiwan that is fired at low temperatures and is famous for its soft colours. It was introduced from the Guangdong-Zhangzhou region in China about two hundred years ago, and gradually developed into a unique Taiwanese art form. Traditionally these ceramics were used as temple ornaments.

The lower left tag in the frame is in the shape of the island of Taiwan, and its text indicates that the work is Koji ware. Today, Koji production is centered on the south-western city of Chiayi.

The top right tag is the Chinese blessing “May you always get more than you wish for,” which is often used at New Year. The latter part of the phrase sounds like the word for “fish,” so the greeting is often accompanied by a picture of a fish – just as here, where the three-dimensional Koji roundel (actually a low-relief sculpture) has a fish in the center.

The first Koji master in Taiwan, Ye Wang from Guangdong, was especially celebrated for his carmine glaze, which included lead compounds to make the flux and gold nanoparticles to create the color. In the roundel pictured above, carmine is the dark pink color on the fish’s head, fins and tail, and also on the strange ball connected to its mouth. Modern Koji pottery (such as that in the picture) uses safer and less expensive pigment technology.

What is this pink ball from which light blue swirls emerge, balanced on a jet of water issuing from the mouth of the fish? In Chinese mythology, a dragon held – or at least chased – the sun, and many drawings depict this as a flaming red ball. Over time the sun-ball became paler in color and became known as the “night-shining pearl.”

In mythology, creatures with scales are easily interchanged: snakes and dragons readily morph into fish or sea-monsters, and vice versa. As a small island surrounded by ocean, Taiwan might be expected to favor fish-like forms over those of land animals in its mythology. The transition from dragon to fish is especially easy in this case because the animal is closely linked with a pearl, the special possession of sea-gods and water spirits.

The two elements – fish and dragon – are combined in the Chinese legend of the Leaping Carp, whose story also explains the surging water and attitude of the fish in the Koji roundel's imagery. The legend says that, at Hunan, there is a high cliff-framed waterfall on the Yellow River called the Dragon Gate. Here, if a carp leaps high enough to scale the waterfall, it will be magically transformed into a dragon. The story is contracted into a four-character proverb, “The carp has leaped through the dragon's gate,” which implies that those who persevere and keep trying hard can reap great rewards even if they are of humble origins