Ru ware is considered the pinnacle of Chinese ceramics and is extremely popular among Chinese ceramic collectors.
We will explain the history and characteristics of their porcelain, which has a beautiful, gentle light blue color that has been likened to the color of the sky after rain.
It is said that there are only around 100 remaining examples of Ru Ware ceramics in the world, but is this true?
We will uncover their secrets by introducing some recommended Ru Ware ceramics from our online museum’s collection.
At the end of the page, we will also explain how to purchase or acquire Ru Ware pieces.
Page Contents
What is Ru ware?
The Ru Ware was a kiln that served as an official supplier to the imperial court and was established from the Five Dynasties to the end of the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127). It primarily produced celadon.
When referring to the Northern Song official kilns, the Ru Ware is generally what is meant.
The term Ru Ware refers not only to the kiln but also to the celadon product itself.
Located in the area around Linru County, Henan Province, this celadon kiln was one of the five famous kilns and a center of ceramics during the Northern Song dynasty.
The National Palace Museum in Taipei houses 21 pieces of Ru Ware celadon from the Northern Song dynasty, said to have been collected by the Qing Emperor Qianlong.
Due to their short production period of around 20 years, works from the Ru Ware are extremely rare, with fewer than 100 pieces thought to exist in the world.
However, this is a list compiled by the Palace Museum and auction houses, and current knowledge suggests that many more actually exist.
During the Northern Song dynasty, ceramics flourished, and in the North China region, Ding ware, Yaozhou kilns, Cizhou kilns, and other kilns produced a wide variety of ceramics, including white porcelain and celadon, which became increasingly refined.
The history and location of Ru Ware
Ru Ware is said to have begun around the end of the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127), with a production period of just 20 years.
Due to the small number of surviving pieces, the exact production period is unclear.
First known about Ru Ware is found in the Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279) book “Qing Bo Za Zhi” by Zhou Hui.
According to the book, Ru Ware was a kiln made to produce celadon by order of the Northern Song imperial court, and that agate powder was added to the glaze.
The book also notes that wares of a quality not suitable for the imperial court were sold to private individuals, but were extremely rare.
The exact location of the Ru Ware remains a mystery.
Excavations began around 1980, and kiln sites were discovered at Qingliang Temple in Baofeng County. However, it is believed that this was a kiln for private use, and the exact location remains unknown.
Characteristics of Ru Ware celadon
The piece is made from smooth white clay, and the grayish-white base with no engraved motifs is glazed all over, including the bottom, before being fired.
To prevent the glaze on the bottom from touching the surface, the body was supported during firing.
As a result, there are typically 3 to 5 nail marks on the bottom, which is a characteristic of Ru ware.
Ru ware needle marks
The color of the glaze is a gentle pale blue with a slight grayish tinge, like the blue of a moist sky after rain, and its beauty is considered the pinnacle of Chinese ceramics.
The agate powder contained in the glaze sometimes produces a pale pink sheen on the surface, giving it a mysterious glow.
“Imitating Ru Ware” during the Qing Dynasty
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the five great kilns of the Song dynasty were praised and it is said that ceramics were imitated in Jingdezhen.
These imitations were not copies in the negative sense, but were reproduced with high skill and have been highly regarded as works of art since the time of their creation.
Even today, they are traded at high prices, especially in the Chinese antiques market.
Ru Ware featured in our online museum
Ru ware produces a wide variety of items, including plates, bottles, Censer, Tea bowl, and bowls.
Our online museum also has several of their works in its collection.
Celadon plate with chrysanthemum
It is modeled after the shape of chrysanthemum petals.
The number of petals is odd, and asymmetrical design is difficult to achieve, making it a valuable item.
The 31 petals are the same as those owned by the emperor.
There are three nail marks on the bottom.
Click here for details about this ceramics.
The thou kiln is one of the famous celadon kilns of the Song dynasty, and was also the kiln used by the Northern Song Dynasty. A characteristic of yo...
Ruware Celadon Two-eared three-legged cup
The legs of this cup are slightly slanted and point outwards, making it a complex design.
It is also extremely rare to see a Ru kiln tripod with ears.
This cup also has three nail mark on the bottom, a characteristic of Ru kiln.
Click here for details about this ceramics.
The legs are slightly along the outside, making it a very difficult model. It features three needle support marks on the bottom. It is also unusual ...
Ru ware Celdon Brush Wash with Birds(Basin)
Ru Ware produces ceramics in a variety of shapes, including pieces with animal motifs like this one.
It is shaped like a bird, with its wings wrapping around the vessel.
The pink luster of the agate, a characteristic of Ru Ware, is very visible in this piece.
Click here for details about this ceramics.
It is a brush wash of ru ware. In the shape of a bird, it is a vessel that is wrapped in feathers. Ru ware was a Northern Song Government kiln and...
Ru ware Celadon Vase with Plate like Mouth and Anglar Shoulders
This is a plate-mouth, folding shoulder bottle with a flat, plate-like mouth and angular shoulders.
There is a similar example of this shape at the Henan Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology in China, and it is extremely valuable.
It is difficult to make a mouth that is neatly extended in a straight, plate-like shape, but this item is made with great precision and was fired without bending.
Click here for details about this ceramics.
This vase has a plate-like mouth, slim neck, anglar shoulder, tubular body, and a flat base. There is a similar shape called "mallet vases" in the ...
Our online museum features many other works of art from the Ru Kiln.
There are few works of art from the Ru Kiln that are publicly available worldwide, so it is extremely rare to have such a large collection.
We have a selection of masterpieces in typical shapes, from representative bottles to openwork brush stand, cups and plates, so please come and take a look.
How to purchase or acquire Ru Ware
Ru ware is extremely rare, and it’s no exaggeration to say that genuine pieces rarely come onto the market for sale.
If you see a Northern Song dynasty piece being sold for tens of thousands of yen, it’s best to think carefully about it.
It was said that there were few recognized Ru wares, but in recent years they have been traded in large quantities in the Chinese market.
As such, it is difficult to easily obtain genuine Ru ware, but if you still want to add a Ru ware to your collection, we highly recommend the aforementioned Imitation Ru Ware.
Imitation Ru Glaze combines the characteristic opaque light blue glaze of Ru ware with Qing Dynasty pottery-making techniques to create a beautiful finish.
It is still not well known even among collectors, and its value is expected to increase in the future.
We carry several pieces in our store, so please take a look.
We also occasionally list Ru wares, so please check back.
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