Ru kiln craftsmanship is the firing technique of Ru kiln porcelain , one of the five famous kilns in the Song Dynasty of China. It can be regarded as the pinnacle of the history of Chinese porcelain craftsmanship.
Historical background
Ru kilns were founded in the late Northern Song Dynasty and are named after their production site in present-day Ruzhou, Henan Province. During this period, porcelain gradually evolved from a practical object to a symbol of aesthetics and ritual. Ru kilns emerged to meet this demand. These porcelains were produced exclusively for imperial use, making them extremely rare and valuable.
Process characteristics
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Body: The body of the Ru kiln is fine and delicate, grayish white or sky blue, which provides a basis for the uniform appearance of subsequent glaze color.
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Glaze color: The most famous is the sky blue glaze, which has a clear and moist color known as "blue as the sky".
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Crackle: The glaze surface is often seen with natural cracks, which are as fine as cicada wings and have great artistic beauty.
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Firing: The kiln is fired in a sagger for protection, and the kiln temperature and reducing atmosphere must be precisely controlled.
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Support firing technology: Sesame-sized support nail marks are often left on the bottom, which becomes an important feature for identifying Ru porcelain.
Artistic Value
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Aesthetics: The pursuit of a subtle and restrained effect, as gentle as jade, embodies the aesthetic idea of "harmony between man and nature" of the literati in the Song Dynasty.
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Symbol: Because of its extreme scarcity, it is known as "the best of Ru kilns" and ranks first among the five famous kilns in the Song Dynasty.
In a nutshell:
Ru kiln craftsmanship is famous for its fine body, sky-like glaze, and patterns like cicada wings. It is the rarest and most precious example of Chinese Song Dynasty porcelain with extremely high craftsmanship difficulty.
-Brewin Teaware
