THESongDynasty(960-1279)wasagoldenageofChineseceramicswhenartpeakedandtechniquesmatured.ThebestknownchinawaresofthisperiodaretheGuan(meaningofficial),Ru,Jun,Ge,andDingware.TheGuanware,asitsnameindicates,wasmadeinofficialkilns.
Anaccomplishedartisthimself,SongEmperorZhaoJi(1082-1135),unhappyaboutthedefectsofchinawaresproducedbyexistingkilns,personallydesignedanddirectedkilnstomakewarestohisliking.Thesekilnswerethefirstinvestedinandbuiltbythestate,andwhoseoutputwasmonopolizedbytheemperor.Theythereforeproducedasrequisitionedbytheimperialcourtintermsoftheware鈥檚shape,pattern,andglaze.
ThelaterMingandQingdynasties(1368-1911)alsooperatedofficialkilns.Thegovernmenthadownershipoverthem,butnomonopolyontheirproducts.ThetermofficialkilnisthereforepreservedforthoseoftheSongDynastyamongChineseceramicsaficionados.
TherearescantwrittenrecordsabouttheofficialSongkilns,becausetheseroyalpropertieswerenotlinkedtothegeneralpublic.ItisamainstreamviewamongChinesehistoriansthatboththeNorthernSong(960-1127)andSouthernSong(1127-1279)operatedofficialkilns.TheformerwasbuiltundertheauspicesofEmperorZhaoJiinBianliang,today鈥檚KaifengCity,andoperatedforlessthan20yearsatthebeginningofthe12thcentury.AftertheJurchentroopspushedsouthwardin1127,SongwasforcedtomoveitscapitaltoLin鈥檃n,today鈥檚Hangzhou,andtheSouthernSongDynastybegan.Newofficialkilnswerebuiltinthecitytoproducechinawaresfortheuseoftheroyalfamily.
AstheYellowRiverchangeditscourseseveraltimesinhistory,theoldcityofBianliangisnowburiedunderground,andthesiteoftheNorthernSong鈥檚officialkilnsremainunknown.Duetotheirbriefspanofoper-ation,theoutputwaslimited.Undertheroyalmonopoly,alltheirproductsthatpassedscrutinyweresenttotheimperialcourt,whilethedefectivepiecesweresmashedanddisposedofonthepremisestopreventthemfromslippingintothehandsofordinarypeople.What鈥檚more,thepalaceoftheNorthernSongEmpirewasransackedbytheJurchensaftertheyoccupiedthecity.Allthesefactorscombined,fewitemsoftheNorthernSongofficialkilnsremainpreservedtodate.
Themostvaluedoftheexistingwaresarethoseoftheceladoncolor,whichcomesinvarioushuesduetothefiringeffect.Theglazeisclear,translucentandjadesmooth,andisadornedwith鈥渋cecracks.鈥漈hecoloratthethinly-glazedmouthofthewareisoftendarker,tothetuneofaubergine,whiletheun-glazedbottomisrustcolored.Upontapsthewaremakesacrispdulcetsound.
EmperorZhaoJibuilttheofficialkilnsoutofhispassionforart,andthereforeinvestedlavishlyintheproductiontopursueartisticperfection.Asaresulttheyproducedglazeofunprecedentedqualitythatfeaturedjadelikelusterandnuancedhues,whichcamefrom,amongothers,avarietyofpreciousstonesintheglazematerial鈥檚mixture.Thisiswhyitemsfromtheofficialkilnscouldneverbecopiedbyprivatekilns,whichwerecostsensitive.
Regardingtheshape,theofficialwaresaremostlymodeledonbronzeitemsofearlierages,rigorouslyfollowingcertainnormsandpayingutmostattentiontodetails.Thevastmajorityconsistedofsmall-sizedutensils,likebows,plates,vases,andincenseburners,andwritingaccessories.Decorationconsistedofnomorethandentedorraisedlinesofthesamecolorasthatofthebody.Theyembodybeautystemmingfromsimplicity.
Withhisflairforart,EmperorZhaoJipreferrednaturalism,simplicity,andthevibeofserenityandnobilityassociatedwiththeminChineseculture.WaresoftheofficialSongkilnsembodytheminimalistictrendsofhistime.Despitetheirsmallnumber,theystandforthepinnacleofceramicartsoftheHanpeople.Beingtheonlychinawarethatwasnottradedandwasmadeattheinstructionofamonarch,productsoftheSongofficialkilnsarerareandpriceless.MostexistingpieceswerefromtheroyalcollectionsoftheQingDynasty,andarenowinthepossessionofthePalaceMuseumsinBeijingandTaipei.C
SONGXIAOYANisacourseplannerofantiquechinawareattheAncientPorcelainCourtyardMuseum.CeladonPierced-earVasefromtheSouthernSongOfficialKiln(NationalMuseuminBeijing)
Mimickingtheshapeofbronzewaresofancienttimes,thisvasefeaturesathinclaybodyandathicklayeroflustrousglazecoveredin鈥渃rabclaw鈥漜racking.Therimsandedgesaresparselyglazed,revealingthecoloroftheclaybeneath.ItrepresentsthepinnacleoftheartisticandtechnicallevelofofficialkilnsoftheSouthernSongDynasty.CeladonSunflowerShapedJewelryBoxfromtheSouthernSongOfficialKiln(PalaceMuseuminTaipei)
Theun-liddedboxisintheshapeofasix-petalsunflowerandofpalebluecolor.Theglazeshowsgreenishhueswherethelayeristhickerandpinkishtoneswhereitisthinner.Thecrackingonthesurfaceissparsebutlong.PaleBlueGlazedFlowerVaseoftheNorthernSongOfficialKiln(PalaceMuseuminTaipei)
Measuring17.8cminheightand15cmindiameterattheopening,thetrumpet-shapedvaseismodeledonbronzevesselsoftheShangandZhoudynasties(C.1600256BC)thatwereusedtocontainwineorforsacrificialrituals.TheNorthernSongvarietywashoweverfordisplayingflowers.