Identification guide
Chenghua mark
With a Chenghua mark, a six-character formula 大明成化年製 reads Da Ming Chenghua Nian Zhi, made in the Great Ming, Chenghua reign.
Characters and reading order
成化 is the reign name. A six-character formula 大明成化年製 reads Da Ming Chenghua Nian Zhi, made in the Great Ming, Chenghua reign. In a vertical arrangement read each column top to bottom, starting at the right.
Named reign
| Reign | Characters | Reign years |
|---|---|---|
| Chenghua | 成化 | 1465–1487 |
What to check next
Identify regular script versus seal script before comparing individual strokes. A border, colour or reign inscription does not by itself date the porcelain. Compare the foot, body and decoration; later honouring marks can repeat an earlier emperor’s name.