It was said in the Song Dynasty that “Ru porcelain is the king of celadon wares”. Ru porcelains, to the handicraft artists, are “the representation of the greatest beauty in the simplest form”.
Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty established official Ru porcelain kilns where marvelous artworks were made and sent to the royal court. The techniques of porcelain making then reached such a high level in China’s history that it was acclaimed as the peak of perfection in the world. The uniqueness of Ru porcelains was characterized by solidity, equal spread of ceramic glaze, rich color and elegancy. The range of porcelains made in official Ru porcelain kilns were cherished and treasured up by the royal family.
With only 65 pieces existing in the world, Ru porcelains are rare nowadays. Among them, 17 pieces in the Beijing Palace Museum, 23 in Taipei Palace Museum, 8 in Shanghai Museum, 7 in Percival David Foundation of Chinese Art in U.K., 10 or more in Victoria and Albert Museum, the Museum of Oriental Ceramics, Osaka, the Cliffs Museum in U.S., the Saint Louis Museum and in private collections.
