BOWL, Hutian Kiln, qingbai ware, Song Dynasty (960–1279 CE)

A shadow-celadon bowl from the Hutian kiln of the Song dynasty.

The Hutian Kiln, a representative Song Dynasty workshop in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province, produced many qingbai wares—white-bodied pieces covered with a highly transparent glaze. Qingbai, also called bluish-white ware, is distinguished by a delicate bluish cast where the glaze is thicker. This bowl likewise displays a pale bluish-white glaze complemented by areas of kiln-fired coloration.

The vessel takes the form of a moderately deep bowl. The rim flares gently outward, the body has a natural rounded contour, and it stands on a low, stable foot. A fine concentric line runs around the interior, quietly refining the broad inner surface.

On the interior a smooth shadow-green glaze has been applied, producing a pale bluish-white tone. The glaze surface shows fine craquelure, with traces of iron and earth adhering in places. Rather than a uniform whiteness, it displays firing coloration and a faint cloudiness, giving it the restrained, composed appearance characteristic of Song ceramics.

The exterior glaze is somewhat thin, revealing a bluish-white surface with a gray tinge that retains the potter’s wheel marks. The rim and the area around the foot reveal the reddish hue of the clay, providing a contrast to the clear glaze on the interior. The foot is left unglazed, exposing the white-fired body and traces of red clay.

With a rim diameter of approximately 16.7 cm, its proportions readily allow it to be read as a tea bowl. Although somewhat broad for a matcha chawan, it is well suited to sencha or Chinese tea, where it can serve as a vessel to receive a teapot.

The rim and glaze surface show wear from age, fine crazing, and traces of adhering soil, yet the overall form is well preserved. The contrast between the interior's pale bluish-green glaze and the flame-colored hues that have appeared on the exterior is particularly striking.