Price reduced!! This item has been stored for a long time at my parents' home. It's a beautiful item with no scratches or stains on the front and sides, but there is some soiling on the white unglazed back. Size: 175 x 120 x height 21mm. The design imitates the Ten Ox Herding Pictures, which were devised by Zen Buddhism during the Song Dynasty in China, depicting the process from entering the Buddhist path to achieving true enlightenment in ten pictures. It's a story of a person who sets out on a journey to capture an ox and, after much hardship, finally catches it. The ox is said to be a metaphor for the enlightenment gained through practice. The 7th to 10th pictures, which depict the journey after capturing the ox and towards true enlightenment, are considered particularly profound. This is likely a copy of the 7th or 8th picture. The philosophical design and the indigo-blue dyeing may have been intended for use in a tea ceremony.