The reconstruction of an Ilan square-patterned pottery jar found by Liu I-chang in the town of Chiushe is a good illustration of Cheng's whole approach. Upon inspecting the original, Cheng discovered that the walls were very thin. If the decorative pattern had been stamped on after the clay had been formed, it would certainly have ruined the shape.
以劉益昌在舊社挖掘出來的宜蘭方格紋陶罐為例，鄭永國在觀察標本時發現，這個陶罐的壁很薄，如果是做好罐形之後再拍打出花紋，一定會破掉。