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
2. Golden Age (1100-1125 AD)
- 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
3. Destruction & Loss (1127 AD)
- 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
4. Modern Revival (20th-21st Century)
- 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
5. Key Historical Artifacts
- 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
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