Maebyeong (Mae-byeong, Korean:매병) refers to Korean vessels with a small slightly curled mouth rim, short neck, round shoulder, and constricted waist.[1] The maebyong is derived from the Chinese meiping (literally "plum vase").[2][3] Unlike the Chinese meiping, the Korean maebyeong vase usually flares outward at the base. They were first used to hold wine and later branches of plum blossoms.[4][5]
Some of these vessels have a cup-shaped cover over the mouth, so that they seemed to be used to store high quality wine such as insamju (인삼주, ginseng wine) or maehwaju (매화주; rice wine made with plum)[6] It would have originally had a lid and there are many maebyong with ginseng leaves on the surfaces.[7]
Ju-byeong vase or bottle shape
A common name for the maebyeong is the "male vase".[8] The corresponding "female vase" is called a ju-byeong (Korean: 주병) .[9] South Korean potters frequently make sets of matching maebyeong and jubyeong vases that are usually purchased as a gift for a newly wed couple.[10] The combination of a maebyeong and jubyeong is also called a vase and bottle.[11]
