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This Northern Song dynasty Cizhou ware meiping vase is decorated with a dragon motif. It features a wide mouth rim, slender neck, full rounded shoulders, and a generously proportioned body that gradually narrows toward the base.

The shoulder and lower section are adorned with bands of diagonally arranged petal motifs, while the body is decorated with a large-scale dragon design. The dragon is depicted in a dynamic flying pose, with its mouth open and claws raised. The finely carved scales and flowing mane emphasize its powerful vitality and movement.

The vessel was first covered with a layer of white slip over the clay body, followed by the application of an iron-rich black slip. The decorative motifs were then carved through the dark layer, removing the surrounding black slip to reveal the white ground beneath. After the application of a transparent glaze and firing, the striking contrast between the white background and black decoration creates a distinctive aesthetic reminiscent of calligraphy and ink painting.

This white-slip black-sgraffito technique represents one of the most distinctive decorative achievements of Cizhou ware. Through its bold carved lines and harmonious black-and-white composition, the vessel demonstrates a highly expressive, painterly quality and reflects the influence of literati aesthetics in Song dynasty ceramics.

The technique introduced a new direction in the pictorial expression of Chinese ceramics and contributed to the later development of decorative styles in Chinese ceramic history. Comparable examples are preserved in major collections, including the Palace Museum in Beijing and the Hakutsuru Museum in Japan.