Although this vase was made in the traditional format of a gourd or calabash, the imagery painted on it is hardly traditional. It depicts a female militia, with three young women bearing rifles or bayonets, and one operating a portable radio. The brightly colored flowers and grasses framing the figural group— which are also traditional decorations for ceramics— contrast with the modern, militant subject matter. The inscription on the back encourages viewers to imitate the young women: to be vigilant and to defend the motherland.
