Northern Song Ru Kiln

The Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127 AD) was a period of great cultural and artistic achievements in China, and one of the most renowned ceramic kilns of that time was the Ru Kiln, located in what is now Baofeng County, Henan Province.

The Ru Kiln produced a type of pottery known for its delicate, crackled glaze and subtle blue-green color. One of the most famous and prized examples of Ru ware from the Northern Song Dynasty is the Tianqing Glaze Washer.

The Tianqing Glaze Washer is a small, shallow bowl with a diameter of around 13 cm (5 inches) and a height of about 3.5 cm (1.4 inches). It is characterized by a thin, translucent glaze with a bluish-green color and a distinctive pattern of fine crackles.

The glaze of the Tianqing Glaze Washer is said to resemble the color of the sky after a rainstorm, and its delicate crackle pattern is said to resemble ice breaking on a frozen pond. The combination of its refined form, exquisite glaze, and subtle crackle pattern has made the Tianqing Glaze Washer one of the most sought-after examples of Chinese ceramic art.