The History and Evolution of Ru Ware Celadon

1. Origins (Northern Song Dynasty: 960-1127 AD)

- Imperial Commission:

• Founded circa 1086 under Emperor Huizong's decree

• Exclusive to royal court for 40 years (1086-1126)

- Legendary Standard:

• "Sky-after-rain" glaze color mandated by imperial poem

• Only 1% of kiln output deemed acceptable

- Technical Mastery:

• Agate-infused glaze (0.3-0.5% crushed gemstones)

• Wood-fired at 1280-1320°C with pine ash effects

- Cultural Status:

• Ranked top among "Five Great Kilns" of Song

• Used exclusively for imperial tea ceremonies

- Jurchen Invasion:

• Kilns destroyed during Jin-Song wars

• Artisans fled south, techniques fragmented

- Post-Song Attempts:

• Southern Song (1127-1279): Failed replicas lacked agate glaze

• Ming/Qing: Imitations used cobalt for celadon effect

- Archaeological Rediscovery:

• 1987: Ru kiln sites identified in Baofeng, Henan

• 2000: Palace Museum shards analyzed via XRF

- Contemporary Breakthroughs:

• 2012: Successful agate glaze reconstruction

• 2020: "Living frost" veins replicated via thermodynamic modeling

- Surviving Pieces:

• 87 confirmed authentic works worldwide

• Most in Taipei Palace Museum (21 pieces)

- Iconic Examples:

• "Ru Narcissus Basin" - auctioned for $37M in 2017

• "Azure-Washed Moon Flask" - UNESCO heritage 2015