During the Song and Jin periods, the production of pillows was a major part of the output at both Cizhou and many other associated kilns. New and innovative designs appeared constantly. Most were rectangular, crescent- or ruyi-fungus-shaped ones, while a few were in the form of a tiger or baby. People used tiger pillows to ward off evil spirits, while baby pillows carried the connotation of fertility.
This pillow is modelled in the shape of a baby girl, with bright eyes and well-defined eyebrows, lying in a prone position. The biscuit was first covered by a layer of white slip, then painted black and brown, and finally protected by a layer of transparent glaze. The baby's robe is dotted with plum-blossoms, while the collar is simply lined with white dots. To fulfil the function of a pillow, the baby's back is flattened into a rectangular surface, with two geese and some reeds painted on it within a frame. The base is unglazed and a hole was left under the head of the baby to serve as an air hole during firing.
Kilns in Hebei, Henan and Shanxi provinces were all active in the production of Cizhou type ware. It is impossible to identify which kiln produced this pillow, since there are many comparable examples from the Pacun kiln in Henan, the Changzhi kiln in Shanxi, and the Handan kiln in Hebei. In addition, Ding ware from Hebei also included baby pillows in an ivory-white glaze. Apparently, in those days there was a strong market for pillows in the shape of a child.
