| The term Dynastic Mark refers to a
mark that identifies only the dynasty, not the
reign. The mark is usually written with four characters, top to bottom,
right to left as in Figures 1 and 2., and sometimes arrainged as in
Figure 3.
Written Da Ming Nian Zao (fig 1), it translates 'great Ming year made'.
Figure 3 The use of the character Zao The mark made it's first appearance during the reign of Hongwu. Though not commonly seen on pieces of mid to late Ming, a few rare examples do exist. Hobson1 states [Quote] "it is plausible [credible] that this mark was used during the reign of Hongwu." Radiocarbon dating has also produced very consistent results on a 15th century shipwreck containing a porcelain with the mark da ming nian zao. The reigns following had to distinguish themselves from Hongwu, hence the birth of standardized reign marks on Chinese porcelain. The Anhui Dish is a challenge to all unmarked porcelain declared Hongwu by the experts. Any unmarked piece proclaimed early Ming cannot be positively dated to the Ming period without the possibility, however small, of it being from the earlier Yuan period. . 1 R. L Hobson The Wares of the Ming Dynasty 1923 . . |
(Fig 1 & 3)
versus the character Zhi 
(Fig
2) for the word manufactured or made
is the older more primitive version. 