Yazhou Pottery Zodiac Horse Whistle

In Yazhou pottery, clay and fire are allowed to leave visible evidence. The tradition developed in Yazhou Town during the Ming dynasty and its firing techniques entered China's national intangible cultural heritage list in 2008. This small zodiac horse translates that long ceramic language into a playful whistle form. A blue-green glaze moves across the sculpted upper body while the lower clay remains pale and tactile. Heat, ash, and glaze flow can shift from firing to firing, so the surface may carry subtle differences rather than factory-perfect repetition. The heritage designation belongs to the wider craft tradition and should not be read as individual certification of this item.