Narcissus Bowl, Jun ware, Song dynasty (960-1127). Stoneware with blue glaze, 2 1/2 x 6 3/8 x 6 3/8 in. (6.35 x 16.19 x 16.19 cm). Gift of Ruth and Bruce Dayton 99.174.2 © 2015 All Rights Reserved. Minneapolis Institute of Art.

Linru in Henan province appears to have been the main production center for Jun wares known for their thick, strikingly beautiful rich blue glazes. While green, white and black ware were common by late Tang, light blue ceramics with purple-red splashes were unknown until Jun ware was developed in Northern Song (960-1127). The opalescent blue was produced by spontaneous unmixing at high temperature of the glaze into silica-rich and lime-rich glasses. The optimum temperature for this phase separation to occur is just below 1200° C. The present mold-made tripod is a shape commonly called a narcissus bowl. The bottom of the vessel bears the number nine (jiu) and in this regard it relates to a large series of similarly shaped Jun wares bearing numbers between one and nine. The number indicates the size in the series, nine being the smallest. The dish was probably used to support a small jardinière.