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These are bowls I got from Vietnam, I was told my they were passed down from my Chinese great grandfather over 100 years ago maybe older. Not sure how old they are or where they are from originally. Need help reading the symbols. They have painted on the sides detailed flowers and what looks like a pheasant bird. Sorry I don't have that picture of the sides.



Link :Rice bowl

The bowls look similar to Chinese Republic-period (1912-1949) average-quality popular transfer ware made for domestic sale and export to Chinese population centers elsewhere in Asia. This kind of bowl reminds me much of dishes still being used in Chinese restaurants as of the late 20th century. That the bowls are transfer-decorated is a judgment based on the amount of "flow" in the underglaze blue pattern, as well as the red base mark appearing to have been applied by decal.

Presuming the mark to be written in the traditional manner, it would read down and across from the top right as "Xiang Xing Da (or Tai) Nan" (祥興大南), which might be translated as "Increasing Prosperity in the Greater South"

If the mark is meant to be read in Western style, from the top left across and down, the top line of "Da Xiang" (大祥) would be a ritual sacrifice that's usually offered two years after the passing of a parent. However, I can't fathom right offhand how the "Nan Xing" (南興), or "Southern Prosperity" would make sense in the sacrificial context, so tend to dismiss that reading of the mark.

There is nothing overt to me about the bowls to connect them with Vietnam, unless the mark could have belonged to a Chinese Restaurant somewhere in the country during the early 20th century. Xiangxing (祥興) is a popular restaurant name in Southern China. There also are Danan (大南) roads in both Guangdong and Fujian Province, suggesting the likelihood of there being or having been a place of that name somewhere in the area. So further searching on the internet may turn up additional information if you have the time to spend on it.

Best regards,

Bill H.

Bill, Thanks so much for your information. My mom always cherished these bowls, I'm guessing it had to do with the passing of a parent since she used them during ancestor day. You seem very knowledgeable in this thanks for answering my question. It's so hard to find any information about old Asian ceramics since there are so many fakes out there. Thanks again!~ Mylin

I agree with Bill H's
"Presuming the mark to be written in the traditional manner, it would read down and across from the top right as "Xiang Xing Da (or Tai) Nan" (祥興大南), which might be translated as "Increasing Prosperity in the Greater South""

However, in this case I believe 祥興 is the location (place) which may mean 祥興里於清代時隸屬藍興堡涼傘樹莊 which is in Taiwan.
It was probably made in early Republic or late Qing.

大南 will be the name of the kiln that made it, probably came from 福建省閩南 (Fu Jian province Min Nan) since Taiwan is very close to 閩南 and basically the Taiwan dialect is that of 閩南.

Of course, I can be wrong.

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