Antique to Yuan Porcelain
Except otherwise stated, all results include the premium.
See also : China Chinese porcelain Song Yuan Animals Bird Children Chinese dragon
Chronology : 1-1000 1000-1400
See also : China Chinese porcelain Song Yuan Animals Bird Children Chinese dragon
Chronology : 1-1000 1000-1400
Later Zhou Chai Kiln
The Later Zhou dynasty (Hou Zhou, 後周; 951–960) was a short-lived Chinese imperial dynasty and the final of the Five Dynasties that ruled much of northern China during the chaotic Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (907–960). This era bridged the collapse of the Tang dynasty and the rise of the Song dynasty.
Chai Kiln wares are legendary as one of China's "Five Great Kilns" (柴汝官哥定), attributed to the Later Zhou dynasty under Emperor Chai Rong. They are extremely rare because no confirmed kiln site has been definitively excavated with matching wares, making authenticated examples exceptionally scarce and valuable. Traditional descriptions praise them as "blue as the sky, bright as a mirror, thin as paper, and resonant as a chime" (青如天、明如镜、薄如纸、声如磬).
Key Features (Based on Typical Chai Kiln and Comparable Celadon Examples)
Chai Kiln wares are legendary as one of China's "Five Great Kilns" (柴汝官哥定), attributed to the Later Zhou dynasty under Emperor Chai Rong. They are extremely rare because no confirmed kiln site has been definitively excavated with matching wares, making authenticated examples exceptionally scarce and valuable. Traditional descriptions praise them as "blue as the sky, bright as a mirror, thin as paper, and resonant as a chime" (青如天、明如镜、薄如纸、声如磬).
Key Features (Based on Typical Chai Kiln and Comparable Celadon Examples)
- Glaze and Color: A distinctive turquoise/celadon (Qing glaze) with a luminous, glassy, translucent quality. The glaze often shows subtle variations in tone (sky-blue to greenish), high gloss, and sometimes fine crackle or "ice crack" patterns. It is thin, even, and jewel-like, with excellent light transmission.
- Body/Fabric: Fine, dense, high-fired porcelain or stoneware body (often pale or whiteish). Extremely thin walls in premium examples, contributing to the resonant "ring" when tapped. The base is typically unglazed or partially glazed, revealing the refined clay.
- Form and Decoration:
- Pillow/Tombstone Base Shape: Ceramic pillows (zhen) from this era were functional (headrests) but also burial/tomb items. "Twin ducks" suggests a sculpted form with two ducks (symbolizing marital harmony or auspiciousness) as the main motif or supports. Alternatives include rectangular/blocky tombstone bases or boat/child figures. Surfaces may feature subtle incised, molded, or applied decorations (e.g., floral, avian, or abstract patterns) under the glaze.
- Size: Often compact (e.g., 13–20+ cm range for pillows), portable yet substantial for auction display.
- Craftsmanship: Hand-modeled or molded with precise detailing; high-temperature firing produces the signature glaze effects. No heavy painted enamels—beauty comes from form, glaze purity, and minimalism.
- Condition and Rarity: Auctioned pieces are typically in excellent preservation (intact glaze, minimal wear), with strong provenance. Only a handful of authenticated Chai Kiln pieces exist in private or museum collections, driving record prices.
twin duck pillow
2026 SOLD for HK$ 660M before fees by CITIC
660,000,000 HKD. □✨
— chaiyao.io (@cbid_io) May 10, 2026
The Chai Yao masterpiece makes history.
At https://t.co/j1pRgMNiP9, we don’t just admire the heritage—we build the gateway for its digital evolution. From the auction floor to the blockchain, the momentum for Art RWA is unstoppable. □
Witness the fusion… pic.twitter.com/mCf5T46PJk
The HKD 660 million lot (sold above the 400–600 million HKD estimate) refers to a rare Five Dynasties period (907–960 AD) Chai Kiln (柴窑, also called Zhu Yao) celadon-glazed ceramic artifact, often described in promotional contexts as a high-value "twin ducks pillow" or similar shaped piece, but auction references more precisely identify it as a Qing Glaze Tombstone Base.
The image shows the turquoise-glazed ceramic artifact displayed in a glass case with auction labeling, highlighting its status as a high-value Chinese cultural heritage piece.
It exceeded its high estimate in a competitive spring sale, highlighting surging demand for imperial/rare early ceramics amid RWA/tokenization interest (e.g., via platforms like chayao.io). The piece was displayed in a glass case with auction tags, emphasizing its museum-quality status.
These artifacts represent peak technical achievement in early Chinese ceramics: purity of glaze, innovation in kiln technology, and cultural symbolism (ducks for fidelity/prosperity; tomb items for afterlife). Their value stems from extreme scarcity, historical lore, and collector/investor appeal.
Note that "twin ducks pillow" may be a descriptive shorthand; core references point to the Qing-glazed tomb-related form.
It was a public auction.
HKD 660M Lot: Exact Catalog Details
Lot 61 — "Five Dynasties Chai Kiln Qing Glaze / Celadon Tombstone Base" (also referred to as Celadon Epitaph Base or Tombstone Base Piece) from the CITIC International Auction in Hong Kong, "Spring Art Treasures Auction (Part Two)", which opened around May 10, 2026.
These pieces exemplify the pinnacle of early Chinese ceramic innovation under imperial patronage, with values driven by extreme scarcity, historical lore, and growing investor interest (including RWA tokenization).
The image shows the turquoise-glazed ceramic artifact displayed in a glass case with auction labeling, highlighting its status as a high-value Chinese cultural heritage piece.
It exceeded its high estimate in a competitive spring sale, highlighting surging demand for imperial/rare early ceramics amid RWA/tokenization interest (e.g., via platforms like chayao.io). The piece was displayed in a glass case with auction tags, emphasizing its museum-quality status.
These artifacts represent peak technical achievement in early Chinese ceramics: purity of glaze, innovation in kiln technology, and cultural symbolism (ducks for fidelity/prosperity; tomb items for afterlife). Their value stems from extreme scarcity, historical lore, and collector/investor appeal.
Note that "twin ducks pillow" may be a descriptive shorthand; core references point to the Qing-glazed tomb-related form.
It was a public auction.
- Auction House: Hong Kong CITIC International Auction (also referred to as CITIC International Auction in Hong Kong).
- Auction: "Spring Art Treasures Auction (Part Two)" — the core lot was Lot 61, described as the "Five Dynasties Chai Kiln Qing Glaze / Celadon Tombstone Base" (or related celadon ceramic artifact; promotional materials sometimes use variant descriptions like "twin ducks pillow," "dragon boat fortune child pillow," or similar forms).
- Date: The auction occurred very recently (kicked off around May 10, 2026, based on contemporaneous reports).
- Without premium: The HKD 660 million is typically the hammer price (the final bid amount before buyer's premium).
- With premium: Auction houses like this add a standard buyer's premium (often 15–25% or tiered on top of the hammer, plus any taxes/fees), so the total amount paid by the buyer would be higher (exact premium percentage not specified in public reports for this lot, but the headline "sold for 660 million" usually refers to the hammer).
HKD 660M Lot: Exact Catalog Details
Lot 61 — "Five Dynasties Chai Kiln Qing Glaze / Celadon Tombstone Base" (also referred to as Celadon Epitaph Base or Tombstone Base Piece) from the CITIC International Auction in Hong Kong, "Spring Art Treasures Auction (Part Two)", which opened around May 10, 2026.
- Pre-sale Estimate: HKD 400–600 million.
- Sale Price: Hammer price HKD 660 million (record for Chai Kiln; described as exceeding prior anchors). This is the headline transaction figure; buyer's premium would add extra (standard rates apply, making total buyer cost higher).
These pieces exemplify the pinnacle of early Chinese ceramic innovation under imperial patronage, with values driven by extreme scarcity, historical lore, and growing investor interest (including RWA tokenization).
child pillow
2025 SOLD for HK$ 410M before fees by CITIC
This refers to a Five Dynasties Chai Kiln (Later Zhou) Blue-Glazed Dragon Boat Fortune Child Pillow, sold for HKD 410 million at the Hong Kong CITIC International Autumn Auction on October 12, 2025.
Key Features of This Lot
Key Features of This Lot
- Form: Ceramic pillow (zhen) in a sculpted, complex shape combining a dragon boat with fortune child (auspicious child figure) motifs. Size approximately 13 × 17 cm. These pillows served practical (headrest) and symbolic/tomb purposes; this example features intricate openwork or carved elements, rare for the period.
- Glaze and Color: Signature Chai Kiln turquoise/celadon ("Qing glaze" or blue-glazed) — luminous, glassy, translucent, sky-blue to greenish tones with high gloss and jewel-like quality. Described as "blue as the sky, bright as a mirror."
- Body and Craftsmanship: Fine, thin-walled high-fired stoneware/porcelain body. Exquisite carved dragon boat and fortune child patterns under the glaze. Base mark: "Great Zhou" (大周), directly linking it to the Later Zhou imperial court under Emperor Chai Rong.
- Rarity: Extremely scarce; Chai wares have near-extinct survival rates with few authenticated examples. This was highlighted as the first complete vessel with clear royal marks to appear publicly, setting a benchmark for the category.
ca 1100 Ding basin
2014 SOLD for HK$ 147M by Sotheby's
The acceptance of the porcelain by the Song for a normal use in the palace opened a challenge to the specialized craftsmen : the vessels were to be as pleasant as jade in sight and touch. The development is rapid, with new forms, incised figured and white or celadon glazes. The underglaze painting has not yet been invented.
In a quest of a top refinement, the greatest geometric simplicity is highly appreciated. The softness of the glazes is so great to the touch that up to present day it remains the unequaled summit of this art. Incised decorations are often exquisite but are not essential.
From the beginning of the dynasty with the white Ding type porcelain, some cups are multi-lobed, taking the shape of a blooming flower. This form has indeed a practical purpose because it helps to hold the brushes during washing.
A basin made in white porcelain at the time of the Northern Song Dynasty 900 years ago or slightly earlier was sold for HK $ 147M from a lower estimate of HK $ 60M by Sotheby's on April 8, 2014, lot 11. There is no evidence that this piece was imperial.
This large bowl 22 cm in diameter with high walls enters into the category of the Ding, vessels of good purity used for food or medicine. It is however the high end in this category, with some extreme refinements unique of their kind. Its glaze is colored in two very close ivory shades. It is in excellent condition.
Its theme is floral, first of all by its eight lobes of lotus petal shape. Inside, the floral patterns are finely incised under the glaze, barely noticeable in the photos. The central medallion is decorated with a peony and lotus stems adorn the inside walls. The exterior is blank.
The rim of the bowl is colored by a brown copper strip enabled by sparings in the glaze. This nice addition met the fashion of the time but did not please the emperor. It explains the development of the Ru production, monochrome without sparings, in the very last years of the dynasty.
In a quest of a top refinement, the greatest geometric simplicity is highly appreciated. The softness of the glazes is so great to the touch that up to present day it remains the unequaled summit of this art. Incised decorations are often exquisite but are not essential.
From the beginning of the dynasty with the white Ding type porcelain, some cups are multi-lobed, taking the shape of a blooming flower. This form has indeed a practical purpose because it helps to hold the brushes during washing.
A basin made in white porcelain at the time of the Northern Song Dynasty 900 years ago or slightly earlier was sold for HK $ 147M from a lower estimate of HK $ 60M by Sotheby's on April 8, 2014, lot 11. There is no evidence that this piece was imperial.
This large bowl 22 cm in diameter with high walls enters into the category of the Ding, vessels of good purity used for food or medicine. It is however the high end in this category, with some extreme refinements unique of their kind. Its glaze is colored in two very close ivory shades. It is in excellent condition.
Its theme is floral, first of all by its eight lobes of lotus petal shape. Inside, the floral patterns are finely incised under the glaze, barely noticeable in the photos. The central medallion is decorated with a peony and lotus stems adorn the inside walls. The exterior is blank.
The rim of the bowl is colored by a brown copper strip enabled by sparings in the glaze. This nice addition met the fashion of the time but did not please the emperor. It explains the development of the Ru production, monochrome without sparings, in the very last years of the dynasty.
Ru Ware of the Northern Song
Intro
In the history of mankind, artistic refinement is not a matter of continuous improvement, as one might believe. The chemical secret of the Imperial ceramics of the Northern Song is lost for a long time, and the quality of the smooth and translucent glaze using agate powder will never be equaled.
The Qing emperors considered the Imperial Ru porcelain as the best of all time. Its production for a decade or so at the end of the Northern Song dynasty had not been documented in period.
It was identified by the Southern Song that the extreme quality of the Imperial Ru ware was due to the incorporation of agate powder into the glaze. The exploration of the kiln site discovered in Henan province in 1986 showed that they were made beside a mass production in ordinary porcelain.
The techniques applied to hold the pieces during heating and cooling were rudimentary, resulting in a very low yield correlated with the excavation of many fragments on the site.
It is possible that the Imperial Ru was essentially experimental, and applied to most shapes produced at the same place in the other techniques. Because of its top quality, the Southern Song could not do otherwise than qualifying it as 'imperial' and the Qing experts followed.
That production center was known as the Ru kilns, Ru yao in Chinese. Ru ceramics are very rare because this operation lasted only a few years, 900 years ago during Zhezong and Huizong periods and was stopped by the fall of the dynasty. The site of the Ru yao, lost since the Yuan, was located in 1987 in Henan Province and excavated in 2000.
By a positioning on tiny studs during cooking without turning the piece upside down, the glaze savings that so displeased at the court of the Northern Song are avoided. The celadon color of which several shades are available equals the refinement of the jade. In the fashion of that time perfect proportions and minimalism are preferred to the complexity of shapes.
Located on what was to become a border zone between north and south, the Ru kilns did not survive the fall of the Northern Song. Their undocumented activity which was perhaps not in the service of the court had only lasted about two decades.
A quarter of a century after the fall of the Northern Song a courtier presents to the Gaozong Emperor of the Southern Song a significant group of Ru ware. The Emperor who was just managing to restore the legendary refinement of his dynasty admires the exceptional quality of these porcelains and especially some pieces whose surface has a texture like ice crackles. This effect modeling the creation of minerals in nature is appreciated as sensational. It was related to the chance of the cooling conditions in the Ru kilns but the Southern Song potters discovered the conditions to be applied to create such a texture at will.
87 pieces of Ru porcelain of the Northern Song are known. Four of them are in private hands.
The Qing emperors considered the Imperial Ru porcelain as the best of all time. Its production for a decade or so at the end of the Northern Song dynasty had not been documented in period.
It was identified by the Southern Song that the extreme quality of the Imperial Ru ware was due to the incorporation of agate powder into the glaze. The exploration of the kiln site discovered in Henan province in 1986 showed that they were made beside a mass production in ordinary porcelain.
The techniques applied to hold the pieces during heating and cooling were rudimentary, resulting in a very low yield correlated with the excavation of many fragments on the site.
It is possible that the Imperial Ru was essentially experimental, and applied to most shapes produced at the same place in the other techniques. Because of its top quality, the Southern Song could not do otherwise than qualifying it as 'imperial' and the Qing experts followed.
That production center was known as the Ru kilns, Ru yao in Chinese. Ru ceramics are very rare because this operation lasted only a few years, 900 years ago during Zhezong and Huizong periods and was stopped by the fall of the dynasty. The site of the Ru yao, lost since the Yuan, was located in 1987 in Henan Province and excavated in 2000.
By a positioning on tiny studs during cooking without turning the piece upside down, the glaze savings that so displeased at the court of the Northern Song are avoided. The celadon color of which several shades are available equals the refinement of the jade. In the fashion of that time perfect proportions and minimalism are preferred to the complexity of shapes.
Located on what was to become a border zone between north and south, the Ru kilns did not survive the fall of the Northern Song. Their undocumented activity which was perhaps not in the service of the court had only lasted about two decades.
A quarter of a century after the fall of the Northern Song a courtier presents to the Gaozong Emperor of the Southern Song a significant group of Ru ware. The Emperor who was just managing to restore the legendary refinement of his dynasty admires the exceptional quality of these porcelains and especially some pieces whose surface has a texture like ice crackles. This effect modeling the creation of minerals in nature is appreciated as sensational. It was related to the chance of the cooling conditions in the Ru kilns but the Southern Song potters discovered the conditions to be applied to create such a texture at will.
87 pieces of Ru porcelain of the Northern Song are known. Four of them are in private hands.
intense blue-green brush washer
2017 SOLD for HK$ 294M by Sotheby's
A 13 cm round brush washer was sold for HK $ 294M by Sotheby's on October 3, 2017, lot 5. This intense blue-green piece has an exceptionally shiny crackled surface. Please watch the short video shared by the auction house.
Relying on a brush washer sold by Sotheby's on October 3, 2017, lot 5, define the significance of Ru ware in the history of Chinese porcelain.
The significance of Ru ware (汝窯) in the history of Chinese porcelain can be powerfully illustrated through the extraordinary auction result of the brush washer sold by Sotheby’s Hong Kong on 3 October 2017 as lot 5 — the small, unassuming sky-blue dish (14.8 cm diameter) from the Northern Song dynasty (early 12th century) that fetched HK$294,300,000 (approximately US$37.7 million), setting the world auction record for any Chinese ceramic at that time.This object is one of fewer than 100 surviving pieces of genuine Ru ware known worldwide (scholarly estimates place the total at 79–87 extant examples, almost all in museum collections). The extreme rarity and the astronomical price paid for this brush washer underline why Ru ware is universally regarded as the most revered and historically significant of all Chinese ceramics. Here are the key reasons:
Relying on a brush washer sold by Sotheby's on October 3, 2017, lot 5, define the significance of Ru ware in the history of Chinese porcelain.
The significance of Ru ware (汝窯) in the history of Chinese porcelain can be powerfully illustrated through the extraordinary auction result of the brush washer sold by Sotheby’s Hong Kong on 3 October 2017 as lot 5 — the small, unassuming sky-blue dish (14.8 cm diameter) from the Northern Song dynasty (early 12th century) that fetched HK$294,300,000 (approximately US$37.7 million), setting the world auction record for any Chinese ceramic at that time.This object is one of fewer than 100 surviving pieces of genuine Ru ware known worldwide (scholarly estimates place the total at 79–87 extant examples, almost all in museum collections). The extreme rarity and the astronomical price paid for this brush washer underline why Ru ware is universally regarded as the most revered and historically significant of all Chinese ceramics. Here are the key reasons:
- It is the official ware of the late Northern Song imperial court (ca. 1086–1125)
Ru ware was produced exclusively for the Huizong Emperor (r. 1100–1125), the most artistically refined and aesthetically demanding ruler in Chinese history. Historical records (notably the 1420 text Gegu yaolun 清秘藏) state that the kiln at Baofeng, Qingliangsi, Ruzhou (modern Henan) was established by imperial order and fired for only about 20–30 years before the fall of the Northern Song to the Jurchens in 1127. No later dynasty ever succeeded in reproducing it. - It represents the absolute pinnacle of Song aesthetic ideals
Ru ware embodies the Song cult of understated elegance, restraint, and “heavenly” colour. Its pale sky-after-rain blue-green glaze (often described as “duck-egg blue” or “clair-de-lune”) was deliberately subtle, with an almost matte, jade-like surface, extremely fine crackle, and a soft opalescent glow. This was a radical departure from the bold colours and heavy decoration of Tang and earlier ceramics; it is the first deliberately monochrome, unadorned high-fired glaze in world ceramics history. - Technical perfection that has never been equalled
The glaze contains a tiny percentage of agate, producing its unique colour and opacity. The body is fired on five tiny sesame-seed-sized spurs, leaving almost invisible marks — a technique so refined that it remained unmatched for centuries. Later imitations by Yongzheng and Qianlong (18th century) Qing emperors came closest but are still instantly distinguishable to the trained eye. - Extreme rarity and institutional prestige
Of the roughly 80 surviving pieces:- National Palace Museum, Taipei: ~22
- Palace Museum, Beijing: ~17
- British Museum, Percival David Foundation: 9 (the finest private collection ever formed)
- Shanghai Museum, Sir Percival David, etc.: the rest
Only six or seven pieces have ever remained in private hands in modern times. The 2017 Sotheby’s brush washer was one of them, coming from the Au Bak Ling Collection and previously exhibited at the British Museum.
- Cultural and symbolic status
Already in the Ming dynasty, Ru ware ranked first in the traditional hierarchy of the “Five Great Wares” of the Song (Ru, Guan, Ge, Jun, Ding). Chinese connoisseurs have for 600 years repeated the saying:
“Even if you have ten thousand taels of gold, a piece of Ru ware is beyond price (有錢難買魯窯器).
900-year-old dish to smash US$36 million auction world record for Chinese antiques https://t.co/U56WqVJCQB pic.twitter.com/H7bBHIqiIv
— SCMP News (@SCMPNews) August 24, 2017
pale blue-green brush washer
2012 SOLD for HK$ 208M by Sotheby's
The classic color of Ru is a very pale blue-green jade imitation. A washer 13.5 cm in diameter in smooth texture and very good condition was sold for HK $ 208M from a lower estimate of HK $ 60M by Sotheby's on April 4, 2012. The edge is pinched in six locations, simulating the petals of a flower. This washer was known long before the rediscovery of the site.
A sky blue tea bowl 10.2 cm in diameter and 5.2 cm in height surfaced in 2015. Its provenance from Japanese collections is indisputable and precedes for several decades the location of the kiln site. It had been broken, probably in the first part of the twentieth century, and repaired according to a traditional Japanese method including a filling of the gaps by a lacquer mixed with gold powder. It is considered complete.
This piece brings together two of the rarest features in its class.
The extreme scarcity of Imperial Ru bowls had already been highlighted by the Qianlong emperor. A slightly chipped example of identical shape and dimensions but in another color had been found on the kiln site.
Its sky blue color is unique among complete pieces but is also found on some excavated fragments. Highly appreciated in graphic arts by the Northern Song, this color was an attempt by the Ru potters to escape the traditional celadon.
This bowl was sold for HK $ 56M by Christie's on November 26, 2018, lot 8006.
A sky blue tea bowl 10.2 cm in diameter and 5.2 cm in height surfaced in 2015. Its provenance from Japanese collections is indisputable and precedes for several decades the location of the kiln site. It had been broken, probably in the first part of the twentieth century, and repaired according to a traditional Japanese method including a filling of the gaps by a lacquer mixed with gold powder. It is considered complete.
This piece brings together two of the rarest features in its class.
The extreme scarcity of Imperial Ru bowls had already been highlighted by the Qianlong emperor. A slightly chipped example of identical shape and dimensions but in another color had been found on the kiln site.
Its sky blue color is unique among complete pieces but is also found on some excavated fragments. Highly appreciated in graphic arts by the Northern Song, this color was an attempt by the Ru potters to escape the traditional celadon.
This bowl was sold for HK $ 56M by Christie's on November 26, 2018, lot 8006.
Guan ware of the Southern Song
The Chinese political map changes suddenly in 1127 CE. The Jurchen tribe had a successful revolt against the Liao state and now terminates in China proper the Northern Song dynasty.
These events put an end to the exquisite activity of the Ru kilns. The Ding porcelain which had been the foremost supplier to the imperial court goes to the Jin. The official porcelain is now known as Guan which is not a location but a label.
The Song control is thereafter limited to south China with a temporary capital in the present city of Hangzhou. Their dynasty will last one century and a half.
Shocked by these events, the Southern Song are looking to redefine their values in a compromise between tradition and progress. Beyond Tang whose luxury was voluptuous, the Song are rediscovering the various shapes of antique ritual bronzes, from Shang to Han. They inaugurated a tradition for the porcelain imitation of old vessels that will be continued up to the Qing.
Two imperial kilns (Guan yao) are installed in Hangzhou. Their location is known, and one of them was probably inside the local Imperial City. This official porcelain favors the balance of geometric shapes and the quality of the material instead of the figuration. The Guan of the Southern Song achieves a sophistication comparable to the white Ding porcelain of the early Song and to the wonderful Ru wares.
However the fashion also changes, probably forced by the fact that the ceramic material after firing is no longer white. The high end pieces are designed with a thick grayish glaze decorated by a dense pattern giving an appearance of crushed ice whose brightness was as spectacular as in the white Ding porcelain.
These events put an end to the exquisite activity of the Ru kilns. The Ding porcelain which had been the foremost supplier to the imperial court goes to the Jin. The official porcelain is now known as Guan which is not a location but a label.
The Song control is thereafter limited to south China with a temporary capital in the present city of Hangzhou. Their dynasty will last one century and a half.
Shocked by these events, the Southern Song are looking to redefine their values in a compromise between tradition and progress. Beyond Tang whose luxury was voluptuous, the Song are rediscovering the various shapes of antique ritual bronzes, from Shang to Han. They inaugurated a tradition for the porcelain imitation of old vessels that will be continued up to the Qing.
Two imperial kilns (Guan yao) are installed in Hangzhou. Their location is known, and one of them was probably inside the local Imperial City. This official porcelain favors the balance of geometric shapes and the quality of the material instead of the figuration. The Guan of the Southern Song achieves a sophistication comparable to the white Ding porcelain of the early Song and to the wonderful Ru wares.
However the fashion also changes, probably forced by the fact that the ceramic material after firing is no longer white. The high end pieces are designed with a thick grayish glaze decorated by a dense pattern giving an appearance of crushed ice whose brightness was as spectacular as in the white Ding porcelain.
vase
2015 SOLD for HK$ 114M by Sotheby's
The mallet shape of the Guan bottles is not inspired by the antique. Assuming that this form had been developed in the Ru yao, its follow in the Southern Song period has arguably been made for the Gaozong emperor who was the first ruler of the new dynasty. At that time the wares from the North were still greatly appreciated.
It is a broad cylinder rising from a shallow recessed base to an angled shoulder, sweeping up to a long neck with a short everted dished rim.
A Guan mallet vase was sold for HK$ 68M by Sotheby's on April 11, 2008, lot 2601. Its unique luminous milky bluish glaze was obtained through multiple firing. Long golden threads of crackles randomly swirling around the neck were due to a controlled cooling. Some vermilion traces are remaining. It bears on the base an incised location at the Jade Stream Imperial garden, created by Gaozong in 1147 CE..
A Guan vase 22 cm high was sold for HK $ 114M from an expectation beyond HK $ 60M by Sotheby's on April 7, 2015, lot 1.
The general shape of this bottle is a hu, with a tall neck over a bulging body. It is yet octagonal from neck to base, with the exception of its circular mouth rim. Four horizontal ribs in slight protuberance offer a pleasant partitioning.
Above the dark brown ceramic that is visible under the base, the bluish-green glaze was built by successive heatings in a complex process that resulted in softening the sharp angles without a mechanical intervention on the ceramic. The final cooling creates the crackled pattern according to the fashion already promoted by the Northern Song, symbolizing the random lines of the nature.
It is a broad cylinder rising from a shallow recessed base to an angled shoulder, sweeping up to a long neck with a short everted dished rim.
A Guan mallet vase was sold for HK$ 68M by Sotheby's on April 11, 2008, lot 2601. Its unique luminous milky bluish glaze was obtained through multiple firing. Long golden threads of crackles randomly swirling around the neck were due to a controlled cooling. Some vermilion traces are remaining. It bears on the base an incised location at the Jade Stream Imperial garden, created by Gaozong in 1147 CE..
A Guan vase 22 cm high was sold for HK $ 114M from an expectation beyond HK $ 60M by Sotheby's on April 7, 2015, lot 1.
The general shape of this bottle is a hu, with a tall neck over a bulging body. It is yet octagonal from neck to base, with the exception of its circular mouth rim. Four horizontal ribs in slight protuberance offer a pleasant partitioning.
Above the dark brown ceramic that is visible under the base, the bluish-green glaze was built by successive heatings in a complex process that resulted in softening the sharp angles without a mechanical intervention on the ceramic. The final cooling creates the crackled pattern according to the fashion already promoted by the Northern Song, symbolizing the random lines of the nature.
#AuctionUpdate: Song Dynasty 'Guan' Octagonal Vase, Southern sought by 8 bidders, sells for HK$113.9m/US$14.7m pic.twitter.com/70lTua10f9
— Sotheby's (@Sothebys) April 7, 2015
brush washer
2018 SOLD for HK$ 81M by Sotheby's
A Ru brush washer from the Northern Song 13.5 cm in diameter was sold for HK $ 208M by Sotheby's on April 4, 2012.
In an extremely similar style, Sotheby's sold for HK $ 81M on October 3, 2018 as lot 3105 a guan brush washer of the Southern Song 14 cm in diameter. The thick bluish green glaze with a classic crackle texture is glossy, without decoration. The color changes on the rim, voluntarily imitating not without humor the traces of the position in the kiln that had so much displeased the Song emperors in the early days of the Ding.
A guan dish of comparable design and shape 18 cm in diameter with a celadon glaze was sold for HK $ 26M by Christie's on May 28, 2014.
A 19 cm guan dish was sold for HK$ 56M by Sotheby's on September 9, 2025, lot 5022. It comes in the follow of the Ru techniques but its six lobed design is inspired from another Northern Song kiln. The body is enveloped in a lustrous bluish-celadon glaze suffused with a network of golden-beige crackles.
In an extremely similar style, Sotheby's sold for HK $ 81M on October 3, 2018 as lot 3105 a guan brush washer of the Southern Song 14 cm in diameter. The thick bluish green glaze with a classic crackle texture is glossy, without decoration. The color changes on the rim, voluntarily imitating not without humor the traces of the position in the kiln that had so much displeased the Song emperors in the early days of the Ding.
A guan dish of comparable design and shape 18 cm in diameter with a celadon glaze was sold for HK $ 26M by Christie's on May 28, 2014.
A 19 cm guan dish was sold for HK$ 56M by Sotheby's on September 9, 2025, lot 5022. It comes in the follow of the Ru techniques but its six lobed design is inspired from another Northern Song kiln. The body is enveloped in a lustrous bluish-celadon glaze suffused with a network of golden-beige crackles.
Ding tea bowl of the Southern Song
2016 SOLD for $ 11.7M by Christie's
The Ding kilns located in Hebei province in northeastern China were producing ceramics since the Tang dynasty. When porcelain begins to compete with jade for imperial use under the Northern Song, Ding is the most important source for these new wares. The bowls are normally stacked upside down during heating, leaving the mouth rim unglazed.
The beautiful creamy white Ding porcelains become commonplace and the court always demands more refinement. The Ding workshops add to their know-how the black porcelain bowls bringing a more pleasant vision of tea froth. The activity of the Ding kilns is not interrupted after the invasion of North China by the Jin in 1125 CE.
Ding potters know how to embellish their black porcelain with colorful effects. This practice was later extended in the Jian kilns of the Southern Song with continuous patterns described as hare's fur, tea dust, partridge plumage or oil drops.
Under the Song the tea ceremony culminated in an exquisite refinement that required in its turn an improvement of the porcelain. Potters achieved an unprecedented control of the kiln settings but also of the chemistry applied to the glazes.
The tea is prepared in powder on which the boiling water generates a white froth which is more enjoyable when the porcelain is dark. The Jian kilns provide an additional visual refinement. The iron saturated glaze generates chemical precipitates that create different patterns depending on the precise time at which the process is stopped.
The basic effect consisting of streaks is the hare's fur. A more subtle next step brings a network of iridescent spots, sometimes with halos, constituting patterns known as tea dust, partridge feather or oil spot. Modern chemists failed to reproduce the chemical purity of the iron oxide of the grown solidified drops from the Song porcelain.
A tea bowl 12 cm in diameter realized in Jian technique during the period of the Southern Song around 800 years ago was sold for $ 11.7M from a lower estimate of $ 1.5M by Christie's on September, 2016, lot 707 . It features a rare and beautiful wall surface of oil spots on a black background.
The Japanese continued to enjoy the black tea bowls of the Song which they imitated under the name of tenmoku. The bowl for sale is accompanied by a lacquered box probably from Edo period and was registered in Japan as an important art object from 1935 to 2015. It comes from a Japanese collection of old Chinese porcelains.
This piece is the highlight of the second sale of the Linyushanren collection of Song dynasty ceramics. Please watch the video shared by Christie's.
The beautiful creamy white Ding porcelains become commonplace and the court always demands more refinement. The Ding workshops add to their know-how the black porcelain bowls bringing a more pleasant vision of tea froth. The activity of the Ding kilns is not interrupted after the invasion of North China by the Jin in 1125 CE.
Ding potters know how to embellish their black porcelain with colorful effects. This practice was later extended in the Jian kilns of the Southern Song with continuous patterns described as hare's fur, tea dust, partridge plumage or oil drops.
Under the Song the tea ceremony culminated in an exquisite refinement that required in its turn an improvement of the porcelain. Potters achieved an unprecedented control of the kiln settings but also of the chemistry applied to the glazes.
The tea is prepared in powder on which the boiling water generates a white froth which is more enjoyable when the porcelain is dark. The Jian kilns provide an additional visual refinement. The iron saturated glaze generates chemical precipitates that create different patterns depending on the precise time at which the process is stopped.
The basic effect consisting of streaks is the hare's fur. A more subtle next step brings a network of iridescent spots, sometimes with halos, constituting patterns known as tea dust, partridge feather or oil spot. Modern chemists failed to reproduce the chemical purity of the iron oxide of the grown solidified drops from the Song porcelain.
A tea bowl 12 cm in diameter realized in Jian technique during the period of the Southern Song around 800 years ago was sold for $ 11.7M from a lower estimate of $ 1.5M by Christie's on September, 2016, lot 707 . It features a rare and beautiful wall surface of oil spots on a black background.
The Japanese continued to enjoy the black tea bowls of the Song which they imitated under the name of tenmoku. The bowl for sale is accompanied by a lacquered box probably from Edo period and was registered in Japan as an important art object from 1935 to 2015. It comes from a Japanese collection of old Chinese porcelains.
This piece is the highlight of the second sale of the Linyushanren collection of Song dynasty ceramics. Please watch the video shared by Christie's.
A very rare Jian Tea Bowl from the Song Dynasty sold for $11.7 million this morninghttps://t.co/xlKOJfoVrH pic.twitter.com/BeS3pwAcdi
— Christie's (@ChristiesInc) September 15, 2016
1350 CE Yuan Zaju Guan Jar
After decades of fierce conquests, the Mongols invaded China. Now named Yuan, their dynasty succeeded the Song. After the perfection in material, robustness and geometry under the Song, the Chinese porcelain got a new artistic development with the Yuan.
The Yuan sought to establish a synthesis of Mongolian and Chinese traditions, but they were foreigners. They strengthened their position by facilitating maritime and land communication with other Asian countries, reviving the Silk Road. At that time the Chinese ceramics, especially those from Jingdezhen, are the only ones that are hygienic enough to bring no health risk to the user.
The Jingdezhen kilns were already operational under the Tang and Song but their activity is much developed by the Yuan, experiencing a sustainable development towards the end of this dynasty, from around 1350 CE.
The painting under glaze and the cobalt blue are both imports made by the Yuan from the Muslim world for the porcelains of Jingdezhen. The white porcelain was painted on the moulded body with blue figures, and then glazed and fired.
The excellent quality of the cobalt imported from Iran enabled a color gradation up to the deep blue, inviting exquisite figurative motifs. This pigment, known as sumali qing ('Sumali blue'), originated mainly in Persian mines and reached Jingdezhen via revived Silk Road caravans through Central Asia (passing through hubs like Samarkand) as well as maritime routes across the Indian Ocean, facilitated by Persian and Arab merchants. The Mongol empire's control over vast territories made these long-distance exchanges safer and more efficient, turning the cobalt trade into a key link in the early globalization of luxury goods.
The globular guan shape, previously used in terracotta, was much appreciated for the top end Yuan porcelain jars. In this context, "guan" (罐) refers to a sturdy, ovoid or globular jar form, typically with a broad low foot, swelling body, rounded shoulder, and short cylindrical neck—often used for storing wine and providing an ideal continuous "canvas" around the body for expansive decoration.
The Yuan enjoyed a form of drama invented by the Song, the zaju. It was a multidisciplinary show with recitations, songs, dance and mime, somewhat like the total shows by Aeschylus in Athens or by Diaghilev much later. Demonstrating their interest in the history of the invaded country, the Yuan zajus selected their themes in the epic legends of the Han or Tang. Painting on porcelain their zaju stories, the Yuan are the precursors of the movie posters! The scenes are animated by warlike horsemen and emperors.
Two forms of porcelain wares were favourable to illustrate the zaju: the guan jar used for the wine and the meiping vase for arranging plum blossom branches. The cobalt drawing filled a circular scene all around the body.
The Yuan sought to establish a synthesis of Mongolian and Chinese traditions, but they were foreigners. They strengthened their position by facilitating maritime and land communication with other Asian countries, reviving the Silk Road. At that time the Chinese ceramics, especially those from Jingdezhen, are the only ones that are hygienic enough to bring no health risk to the user.
The Jingdezhen kilns were already operational under the Tang and Song but their activity is much developed by the Yuan, experiencing a sustainable development towards the end of this dynasty, from around 1350 CE.
The painting under glaze and the cobalt blue are both imports made by the Yuan from the Muslim world for the porcelains of Jingdezhen. The white porcelain was painted on the moulded body with blue figures, and then glazed and fired.
The excellent quality of the cobalt imported from Iran enabled a color gradation up to the deep blue, inviting exquisite figurative motifs. This pigment, known as sumali qing ('Sumali blue'), originated mainly in Persian mines and reached Jingdezhen via revived Silk Road caravans through Central Asia (passing through hubs like Samarkand) as well as maritime routes across the Indian Ocean, facilitated by Persian and Arab merchants. The Mongol empire's control over vast territories made these long-distance exchanges safer and more efficient, turning the cobalt trade into a key link in the early globalization of luxury goods.
The globular guan shape, previously used in terracotta, was much appreciated for the top end Yuan porcelain jars. In this context, "guan" (罐) refers to a sturdy, ovoid or globular jar form, typically with a broad low foot, swelling body, rounded shoulder, and short cylindrical neck—often used for storing wine and providing an ideal continuous "canvas" around the body for expansive decoration.
The Yuan enjoyed a form of drama invented by the Song, the zaju. It was a multidisciplinary show with recitations, songs, dance and mime, somewhat like the total shows by Aeschylus in Athens or by Diaghilev much later. Demonstrating their interest in the history of the invaded country, the Yuan zajus selected their themes in the epic legends of the Han or Tang. Painting on porcelain their zaju stories, the Yuan are the precursors of the movie posters! The scenes are animated by warlike horsemen and emperors.
Two forms of porcelain wares were favourable to illustrate the zaju: the guan jar used for the wine and the meiping vase for arranging plum blossom branches. The cobalt drawing filled a circular scene all around the body.
2005 SOLD for £ 15.7M by Christie's
On July 12, 2005, Christie's sold for £15.7M (approximately $27.7 million at the time) a magnificent Yuan guan jar, 33 cm high, lot 88. Robustly potted, it stands on a broad low foot rising to a full rounded shoulder below a short cylindrical neck. It is vividly painted in deep and vibrant cobalt blue around the body with a continuous, dynamic narrative scene from the Warring States period: a robed figure (Guiguzi) seated in a two-wheeled cart drawn by a tiger and a leopard, following two foot soldiers each carrying a spear and approaching a rustic bridge across a stream beneath a waterfall. The cart is followed by two equestrians on either side of dramatically painted rocks—one in military attire carrying a banner inscribed with the characters Gui Gu, the other a scholar in flowing robes on a prancing piebald horse, turning toward his companion. The lively composition is punctuated by pine, bamboo, flowering prunus, plantain, rose, and willow trees, all set against rocky outcrops. The jar features a classic breaking-wave band around the neck, a peony scroll around the shoulder, and a band of upright lotus-petal lappets enclosing emblems around the base. The intense cobalt shows rich mottling with purplish tones characteristic of the finest imported Iranian pigment; the interior has a transparent glaze with a bluish tinge, while the foot rim and base are unglazed.
This jar belongs to a very small group of only about eight surviving narrative guan jars of similar construction and proportions, probably produced in the same high-end Jingdezhen workshop around 1350. All but one share the distinctive breaking-wave band on the neck, and the painting style closely relates to a vase inscribed with a date equivalent to 1351 CE (the famous David vases). Its hectic story—depicting the state of Yan's attempt to conquer Qi, with the strategist Guiguzi (Wang Xu, titled after his home Guigu) traveling in the feline-drawn cart—directly appealed to the Mongol conquerors. The figure of the cart pulled by two felines was inspired by a woodblock print from the 1320s.
This jar belongs to a very small group of only about eight surviving narrative guan jars of similar construction and proportions, probably produced in the same high-end Jingdezhen workshop around 1350. All but one share the distinctive breaking-wave band on the neck, and the painting style closely relates to a vase inscribed with a date equivalent to 1351 CE (the famous David vases). Its hectic story—depicting the state of Yan's attempt to conquer Qi, with the strategist Guiguzi (Wang Xu, titled after his home Guigu) traveling in the feline-drawn cart—directly appealed to the Mongol conquerors. The figure of the cart pulled by two felines was inspired by a woodblock print from the 1320s.
Jingxian Ting
2026 SOLD for HK$ 175M by Christie's
From the same series, a 27.3 cm high cobalt blue guan jar was sold by Christie's for HK $ 47M on November 28, 2005, lot 1403 and for HK $ 175M as lot 804 on April 30, 2026. It features the classic globular guan shape with sturdy potting, broad low foot, full rounded shoulder, and short cylindrical neck. It is vividly painted in deep and vibrant cobalt blue with a continuous narrative scene around the body depicting four standing figures grouped in two pairs within a stylized garden setting (lingzhi fungus, ferns, grasses, ornamental rocks, plantain leaves, bamboo, peonies, an arching tree branch, and a low fence with wave-patterned panels leading to an open pavilion with chequered floor and double-rail balustrade). One pair shows an elegant court lady in long robes with cloud-scroll motifs and high chignon holding a handkerchief, accompanied by a shorter female attendant gesturing; the other pair includes a lady in a checked robe with ornamental combs and a haughty court official in headdress turned away beside a flowering S-shaped rose branch. The pavilion bears the three-character inscription "Jin Xiang Ting" (Pavilion of Fragrant Brocades). Additional bands include a continuous peony scroll on the shoulder (eight blooms on an undulating vine), breaking waves on the neck, and lotus-petal panels with pendent trefoils and circles on the foot. The blue shows rich mottling with purplish tones, and the interior has a bluish-tinged transparent glaze.
This jar represents the zaju drama Meng Yuemei xie hen Jinxiang Ting by Wang Zhongwen—a troubled romance set in the reign of the Xuanzong emperor of the Tang, involving scholar Chen and Meng Yuemei.
Comparisons with other zaju pieces: This belongs to a rare group of approximately eight to ten surviving mid-14th-century Yuan narrative guan jars (plus a few meiping vases) from Jingdezhen workshops, likely influenced by the same woodblock-printed drama editions. Key shared features include the globular guan shape suited to wine storage and circumferential narrative bands, robust construction, breaking-wave neck bands (present on most, including the Guiguzi jar and this example), peony or floral shoulder scrolls, and lotus-petal foot bands. Figure styles (e.g., trailing sleeves, dynamic gestures, architectural elements like wave-decorated balustrades or chequered floors) recur across the group, as seen in the Bai Hua Ting (Pavilion of a Hundred Flowers) guan formerly in the Manno Collection and the Xi Xiang Ji (Romance of the Western Chamber) example in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Narrative scenes from zaju were less common than floral or animal motifs but provided ideal expansive decoration on guan jars (and occasionally meiping), drawing from 171 surviving Yuan plays focused on romance or heroic tales. A related meiping fragment with a Bai Hua Ting scene sold previously, highlighting the format's use on both jar types.
The estimated date around 1350 (mid-14th century) applies to all known zaju narrative pieces in this group, consistent with stylistic links to dated 1351 David vases (wave bands), archaeological contexts, and the peak of Jingdezhen underglaze-blue production toward the end of the Yuan. No significant outliers exist among the surviving narrative examples.
With a simpler design and a lighter blue (in comparison with the £15.7M example), an ovoid Yuan jar 38 cm high on a theme of warriors on horseback was sold for $1.324M on March 17, 2013 by I. M. Chait Gallery. This lot is here linked on LiveAuctioneers. It is curiously flanked by two moulded handles shaped as tiger's heads.
A Yuan jar decorated with fish was sold for HK$40M by Sotheby's on October 8, 2022, lot 6. Its baluster guan shape is 31 cm high and 34 cm in its larger diameter. It is painted in cobalt blue of four fishes in different species, modeled from Song paintings. The naturalism of swimming fish was then considered as an artistic feat on which some artists were specializing. The association of fish and water is a Daoist symbol of spiritual freedom. The magnificent underglaze blue hues from light to deep assess a perfect mastery of the recently imported cobalt by the Jingdezhen potters. This one has the same band of breaking waves on its short straight neck as the zaju jars.
A fish jar with the same design is kept at the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum. The theme was re-used a century later for the Xuande emperor of the Ming.
This jar represents the zaju drama Meng Yuemei xie hen Jinxiang Ting by Wang Zhongwen—a troubled romance set in the reign of the Xuanzong emperor of the Tang, involving scholar Chen and Meng Yuemei.
Comparisons with other zaju pieces: This belongs to a rare group of approximately eight to ten surviving mid-14th-century Yuan narrative guan jars (plus a few meiping vases) from Jingdezhen workshops, likely influenced by the same woodblock-printed drama editions. Key shared features include the globular guan shape suited to wine storage and circumferential narrative bands, robust construction, breaking-wave neck bands (present on most, including the Guiguzi jar and this example), peony or floral shoulder scrolls, and lotus-petal foot bands. Figure styles (e.g., trailing sleeves, dynamic gestures, architectural elements like wave-decorated balustrades or chequered floors) recur across the group, as seen in the Bai Hua Ting (Pavilion of a Hundred Flowers) guan formerly in the Manno Collection and the Xi Xiang Ji (Romance of the Western Chamber) example in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Narrative scenes from zaju were less common than floral or animal motifs but provided ideal expansive decoration on guan jars (and occasionally meiping), drawing from 171 surviving Yuan plays focused on romance or heroic tales. A related meiping fragment with a Bai Hua Ting scene sold previously, highlighting the format's use on both jar types.
The estimated date around 1350 (mid-14th century) applies to all known zaju narrative pieces in this group, consistent with stylistic links to dated 1351 David vases (wave bands), archaeological contexts, and the peak of Jingdezhen underglaze-blue production toward the end of the Yuan. No significant outliers exist among the surviving narrative examples.
With a simpler design and a lighter blue (in comparison with the £15.7M example), an ovoid Yuan jar 38 cm high on a theme of warriors on horseback was sold for $1.324M on March 17, 2013 by I. M. Chait Gallery. This lot is here linked on LiveAuctioneers. It is curiously flanked by two moulded handles shaped as tiger's heads.
A Yuan jar decorated with fish was sold for HK$40M by Sotheby's on October 8, 2022, lot 6. Its baluster guan shape is 31 cm high and 34 cm in its larger diameter. It is painted in cobalt blue of four fishes in different species, modeled from Song paintings. The naturalism of swimming fish was then considered as an artistic feat on which some artists were specializing. The association of fish and water is a Daoist symbol of spiritual freedom. The magnificent underglaze blue hues from light to deep assess a perfect mastery of the recently imported cobalt by the Jingdezhen potters. This one has the same band of breaking waves on its short straight neck as the zaju jars.
A fish jar with the same design is kept at the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum. The theme was re-used a century later for the Xuande emperor of the Ming.
