Museum Updates
Porcelain pillow at Shanghai Museum captivates with its miniature palace design
Updated: Nov 3, 2026
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Who is the mysterious figure standing behind this half-open palace door?
This rare white-glazed pillow, made at the Ding kiln during the Five Dynasties (907-960) to Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), is part of the Shanghai Museum collection. Shaped like a miniature palace, it features intricate floral patterns, a closed front entrance and a half-open rear door, beside which a finely sculpted figure stands. Such palace-shaped pillows with carved figures are exceptionally rare, and this is the only known example in Chinese collections, making it a national treasure.
