Purple-Splash Jun

Purple-Splash Jun refers to a subgroup of Jun ware in which areas of the glaze surface display purple or reddish violet coloration. These effects arise primarily from copper-containing kiln fluxes or clay-body impurities interacting with the celadon-type glaze under specific reduction and cooling conditions. The chromatic variation was not originally the result of intentional brush-applied copper decoration, although the visual effect later became culturally valued.

Historical Context

Jun ware production flourished in Henan Province during the late Northern Song through Yuan and early Ming periods. Within this broader output, purple-splash effects appear episodically across vessel types and glaze batches. Contemporary workshop practices did not treat these effects as a distinct decorative category. Instead, the coloration emerged from the composition of glaze materials and firing atmosphere variations.

The later appreciation of the purple coloration developed primarily in collector culture from the Ming and Qing periods onward, where the chromatic contrast was interpreted aesthetically.

Technical Basis of Purple Coloration

The purple tone results from:

Trace copper content present in clay or glaze materials
Reduction firing conditions, which influence copper oxidation states
Localized heat gradients within multi-chamber dragon kilns
Variable cooling rates, leading to differential crystallization

In most cases, purple-splash areas appear where glaze thickness or pooling is slightly greater, providing conditions for visible chromatic shift.

The distribution of purple coloration is therefore:

Irregular and non-repetitive
Not organized into intentional motifs
Indicative of kiln-environment conditions rather than planned design

Forms and Visual Characteristics

Purple-splash effects occur across typical Jun ware vessel types, including:

Bowls and dishes
Flowerpots and bulb bowls
Basins and trays
Small covered containers

Visual characteristics include:

Soft transitions between blue celadon zones and purple areas
Localized saturations rather than sharply defined patches
Surface matte or semi-gloss texture consistent with Jun glaze microstructure

The appeal of the effect lies in its subtle, contingent appearance rather than designed ornamentation.

Kiln Sites and Archaeological Evidence

Excavated kiln remains at:

Juntai kilns
Linru kiln groups
Yucheng production zones

contain waster fragments showing purple coloration distributed without pattern planning, supporting the interpretation that such effects emerged during firing rather than through pre-fired pigment application.

Chemical analysis confirms variation in copper concentration across glaze layers rather than deliberate addition to surface zones.

Later Valuation and Reception

Although initially incidental, the purple-splash effect gained aesthetic importance in later collecting cultures. Qing dynasty connoisseurs described the chromatic variation in terms of subtlety and naturalistic visual depth, retrospectively attributing artistic intention to effects originally rooted in firing contingencies.

References

Medley, Margaret. The Chinese Potter: A Practical History of Chinese Ceramics. Phaidon.
Kerr, Rose. Song Dynasty Ceramics. Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
Li Zhiyan (李知宴), ed. Zhongguo Tao ci Quan shu (中国陶瓷全书). Beijing: Shanghai Kexue Jishu Chubanshe.
Fan Dongqing (范冬青). “钧窑釉色与烧成气氛研究” [Research on Jun Ware Glaze Coloration and Firing Atmosphere]. Henan Museum Press.
Krahl, Regina. Chinese Ceramics from the Meiyintang Collection. Vol. II. Hong Kong.