Guan ware
Guan ware (官窑) refers to the celadon-glazed stonewares produced under direct imperial supervision during the Southern Song period, primarily associated with kiln sites in the region of the relocated court at Hangzhou. Guan ware continues and transforms the aesthetic principles of Northern Song Ru ware, adapting them to new political circumstances and court environments following the 1127 relocation of the Song capital to the south.
Historical Context
After the fall of the Northern Song capital in 1127, the Southern Song court established a new administrative center at Lin’an (present-day Hangzhou). Court-sponsored ceramic production was reorganized to meet ceremonial, diplomatic, and domestic requirements. Guan ware emerged within this context as a successor to the refined monochrome celadon wares valued by the Northern Song elite. Historical and archaeological evidence associate Guan ware with official patronage, though precise documentation of workshop administration remains limited.
Production is generally attributed to two principal kiln areas: 1. The Laohudong kilns (老虎洞窑), located near the imperial city walls. 2. The Jiaotanxia kilns (郊坛下窑), located outside the city, interpreted as an administrative expansion of official production.
These kiln sites exhibit technical and material distinctions, though both are recognized as belonging to the category of Guan ware in museum scholarship.
Materials and Technical Characteristics
Guan ware bodies are dense stonewares fired to high temperatures. The glaze is typically a bluish or gray-green celadon with a soft, slightly opaque surface. Controlled cooling produces crackle networks (开片), which may vary from fine to prominent and form part of the aesthetic character.
Key technical attributes:
- Firing temperature: 1200–1280°C
- Reduction firing to achieve celadon glaze tone
- Thick glaze application producing pooled, rounded surfaces
- Prominent crackle as a controlled aesthetic feature, not an accidental firing result
The clay bodies of Laohudong examples tend to be heavier with darker core coloration; Jiaotanxia bodies are generally lighter and more refined. These variations are significant for attribution in museum and archaeological contexts.
Forms and Aesthetic Qualities
Typical forms include:
- Bowls and dishes with rounded or subtly faceted profiles
- Bottle forms and vases with restrained silhouette
- Brush washers and small scholar’s desk objects
- Ritual-related vessel types with abstracted, stable proportions
Surface decoration is minimal. Form, glaze tone, and crackle network serve as the primary visual elements.
Guan ware embodies the Southern Song court preference for tonal modulation, controlled surface texture, and materially grounded visual effect, in contrast to the more overt optical complexity of later Qing-period celadon and enamel wares.
Kiln Sites
| Kiln | Location (Modern) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Laohudong kilns (老虎洞窑) | Hangzhou, Zhejiang | Often considered the earlier or primary court-associated site; darker clay body; refined glaze pooling |
| Jiaotanxia kilns (郊坛下窑) | Hangzhou, Zhejiang | Interpreted as administrative continuation or expansion of official production; lighter clay body; comparable glaze finish |
These sites are central in scholarly discussions of attribution and chronology.
Cultural and Historical Significance
Guan ware holds a central position in the historiography of Song ceramics for:
- Its role as the Southern Song court successor to Ru ware
- Its articulation of monochrome glaze aesthetics uniquely associated with elite cultural practice
- Its influence on later celadon glaze traditions in both China and East Asia
- Its position among the historically designated “Five Great Kilns” (五大名窑)
In museum contexts, Guan ware functions as a primary reference standard for evaluating celadon glaze tonality, vessel proportion, and the material articulation of Southern Song court aesthetics.
Related Pages
References
- Li Zhiyan et al., ed. Guan Ware of the Southern Song Dynasty. Chinese Academy of Arts.
- Medley, Margaret. The Chinese Potter: A Practical History of Chinese Ceramics.
- Kerr, Rose. Chinese Ceramics. Victoria and Albert Museum.