From ancient time to nowadays, the tools that humans have used to feed themselves and drink became vessels from their hands. Later a variety of vessels were developed to facilitate humans’ life. Examples include bowls, plates, pots, bottles, jars, urns, and so on. One major material, clay, has been a preferred media to make vessels due to its properties, including resistance to heat and corrosion, high scale of hardness and accessibility.

As time goes by, more attention is paid to the aesthetic presentation of vessels. Vessels are no longer made merely to serve a function, but also to satisfy through aesthetic contemplation. Function and form become the two pillars of the craft. Today, three aspects in particular weigh on the creators of modern vessels in terms of function and presentation:

1.The functionality of the vessel
Through skillful application of their craft, ceramics artists improve the functionality of the vessel to enhance its convenience for modern living.

2.The personal artistic expression
Ceramics artists fuse individual style with functionality to heighten the originality of the work.

3.Artistic expression weighs higher than function
To elevate the artistic value of the work, many artists focus their energy on personal artistic expression rather than the function.
Herewith follows some common examples including tea wares, dinner wares, vases for fl ower arrangement and other vessels for the viewers to have some solid understanding about modern vessels.