A Sky Blue-glazed RU Bowl

Elegantly potted with a flared opening, an inwardly curved neck, and a sloping bulging belly attached to a flared foot ring, the cup is decorated with a ring of ridge at the bottom, as well as “spur marks (sesame marks)” in the base. Of accurately calculated contour and perfectly-balanced proportion, it is covered overall in sky blue-glaze, like the boundless vault of heaven after a wash of tempest, with crackles resembling shattered ice flakes,crawling over its skin; the cup is carefully preserved, with oily texture and jade-like gloss.

The site of Kiln RU is situated at the Temple Qingliang Village, in the County of Baofeng, Henan Province, producing porcelain wares exclusively for the royal court in the late Northern Song Dynasty, hence its rarity.According to Qing Bo Note (volume five) written by Zhou, Hui in the Southern Song Dynasty, “the RU ware, produced in the royal court, covered in an extremely rare glaze mixed with agate powder, exclusively for the royal family, only can be sold in the market if it’s sifted out; recently, it is exceedingly difficult to obtain.”