Vase with Arabic Inscriptions, 1736-1795 (glass)

Incised on the body of this vase is a medallion bearing an Arabic inscription with the three Names of God in Islam: Inshaallah (Will of God), Ghudratallah (Power of God), and Nimat-allah (Grace of God). Incised on the base of the vase is the mark of the Qianlong emperor. It is thought that this vase was made in the imperial workshops in Beijing for use by Muslims living in the city. Palace workshops for European-style glass were established in 1696 by the Kangxi emperor, the grandfather of the Qianlong emperor, under the supervision of French and German Jesuits who were at the Qing court trying to convert the Chinese to Catholicism. Although the Jesuits' proselytizing was prohibited by the Qianlong emperor, they continued to be important in introducing European technology to China.