White porcelain, made from a mixture of clay and crushed rock fired at a very high temperature, was first produced in Korea in the Koryo dynasty (918–1392). By the time this globular jar was made in the 19th century, such porcelain had come to dominate ceramic production. Plain white wares, with their connotations of purity and honesty, were popular in a culture embedded in Confucian philosophy. However, porcelains painted under the glaze with iron brown, copper red and, as in this case, cobalt blue were also prized.

Four roundels are spaced evenly around the body of the jar. Two contain tortoises, the other two cranes, both symbolic of longevity in Taoist belief. A stylised band of clouds encircles the neck.