Chinese Brown Glazed Spouted Jar- British Columbia, Canada
Institution: The Asian American Comparative Collection
Province: British Columbia
Object: Jug
Era: 20th Century
Chinese Brown Glazed Stoneware was used for soy sauces, vinegars, and oils. Traditionally, soy sauce jars are round with a small spout and raised rim. However, square-bodied soy sauce jars are more commonly found throughout British Columbia, Canada. What is the connection between square stoneware jars and British Columbia?
The embossed label reads “Zengcheng, Eastern Guangdong, Hong Kong”. In the mid 19th century, thousands of Chinese men left the overcrowded province of Guangdong to work during the Gold Rush. By 1858, many Chinese miners left California to settle in Canada after gold was discovered in the Lower Fraser River (British Columbia).
Chinese work contractors were also trading merchants. The import-export network between Hong Kong and the U.S. played a key role in providing subsistence to overseas Chinese labor communities. Following the turn of the century, soy sauce, ginger and other foods were shipped in specifically shaped stoneware containers. Merchants may have used the square shape and province stamp to distinguish themselves from competitors.
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