Making Process

The Artisanal Process of Ru Ware Creation
1. Material Preparation (Weeks 1-4)
- Clay Refinement:
• Selected from 5 specific loess layers in Henan (Fe₂O₃ content 2.1-2.8%)
• Aged in wooden barrels for 3 lunar months with spring water
- Agate Glaze:
• Mongolian river agate (SiO₂ 98.7%) crushed to 300-mesh powder
• Precise 0.33% agate mixed with feldspar/quartz/plant ash
2. Forming Techniques (Week 5)
- Wheel Throwing:
• 280RPM speed for wall thickness control (2.8±0.3mm)
• "Iron Foot" base carved at 45° angle (unglazed)
- Drying:
• 15-day controlled humidity (55% RH)
• Infrared scan for micro-crack detection
3. Glazing Process (Week 6)
- Dipping:
• 3-second immersion (0.2mm glaze thickness)
• Double-layered application (inner/outer different formulas)
- Decoration:
• Imperial motifs engraved with 0.1mm tungsten needles
• Natural pine resin brushed on foot rim
4. Wood Firing (Week 7)
- Kiln Loading:
• 72-piece capacity in dragon kiln (13.5m length)
• Each piece wrapped in kaolin paper
- Firing Cycle:
• 0-300°C: 12 hours (water removal)
• 300-1100°C: 24 hours (quartz inversion)
• 1100-1300°C: 36 hours (agate melting)
• Cooling: 7 days natural (0.5°C/min)
5. Frost Vein Formation
- Thermal Stress:
• Clay (α=5.4) vs glaze (α=7.1) expansion mismatch
• Controlled cracking at 800-600°C range
- Crystallization:
• Mullite (3Al₂O₃·2SiO₂) forms dendritic structures
• Agate particles create "seed points" for vein branching
6. Quality Inspection
- Visual:
• "Sky-after-rain" color verification (Pantone 19-4052→16-5421)
• Frost vein density (3-5 lines/cm²)
- Acoustic:
• 280-320Hz resonance frequency
• ≤0.3s reverberation
- Scientific:
• XRF test for agate content (0.30-0.35%)
• CT scan for vein depth (0.15-0.25mm)
7. Aging Process
- Initial:
• 30-day oxidation in cedar boxes
- Long-term:
• Annual tea soaking ritual (3h in pu-erh)
• UV light treatment (2h/year at 365nm)