A Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) lotus-shaped cup. LIN QI/CHINA DAILY

Beyond their visual appeal, these ceramics offer a window into the values of restraint and clarity long prized in Chinese culture. Their making also shows how people have transformed natural resources into useful objects, bringing order and purpose to daily life. That connection between materials, craftsmanship and routine becomes clearer in another exhibition at the museum.

While Tsinghua Treasures: Earth and Fire offers a contemplative journey through centuries of ceramic history, Clay and the Myriad: Modern Chinese Folk Ceramics Exhibition, running through Feb 28, brings visitors closer to the rhythms of 20th-century life through objects once used in ordinary households.

Practicality takes precedence over ornament, though decorative touches remain. A green pot from Jiangsu province, for instance, was used to store kerosene or edible oil. Its rim is shaped like a shallow dish, making liquids easier to pour in while helping prevent spills. A green cup from Yunnan province, meanwhile, is believed to be part of one of China's earliest ceramic coffee sets. Produced in the early 20th century, such vessels served the coffee-drinking needs of foreigners involved in railway construction projects at the time, including those who drank espresso.