'Mukozuke' refers to a specific dish used in the meal served in the tea ceremony, and placed centre back on the tray in front of each guest. In the 1620s local Jingdezhen kilns began to make various utensils for the Japanese markets, and this bowl is a good example. The rim is shaped like a lotus flower with a design of lotus petals and floral spray. The Japanese have called this imported ware 'ko-sometsuke' (old blue-and-white). One of the characteristics of 'ko-sometsuke' is the series of small holes in the glaze, particularly along the rim, where the glaze has pulled away from the body during firing. Japanese tea practitioners greatly appreciate these defects, fondly calling them 'insect eaten' ('mushikui').

The Asian Collections, AGNSW, 2003, pg.226.