Song Dynasty Lotus Seed Bowl

Hutian Kiln Shadow Blue Glaze | Song Dynasty Lotus Seed Bowl

This Hutian kiln celadon lotus seedpod bowl comes in a set of three: a bowl, a saucer, and a lid. The lid features raised lotus seeds, and the bowl's body is decorated with lotus petal patterns, resembling a blooming lotus flower enveloping a seedpod, representing a lotus seedpod in its early, unripe stage. The saucer is carved with lotus leaf veins, supporting the lotus bowl.

The celadon porcelain is lustrous and warm, with a bluish hue where the glaze has thickened, exhibiting a pure, clear, and richly varied color. The lotus seedpod carving is executed with clean, flowing lines, simple yet elegant, embodying the spirit of "a lotus emerging from clear water, naturally beautiful without artifice." It feels smooth and firm to the touch, and produces a clear, melodious sound when tapped.

After the rain, the sky clears and the clouds part; celadon porcelain is an elegant microcosm of the Song Dynasty. Hutian Kiln perfectly embodies this literati spirit and noble air.

The lotus is also a Buddhist symbol. The saying "When the flower blooms, one sees the Buddha-nature" refers to the lotus, which symbolizes wisdom and enlightenment. Because of the lotus's purity—rising from the mud unsullied—Buddhism regards it as a sacred flower and uses it as a metaphor for the Buddha.

Hutian Kiln was a famous kiln site from the Five Dynasties to the Ming Dynasty. It was the largest ancient kiln site in China during the Song and Yuan Dynasties, with the longest continuous firing period and the most exquisite porcelain produced.

Its glaze is renowned as the "sky blue after rain," and its bluish-white glaze is crystal clear and warm, possessing great ornamental value and artistic effect.
The Hutian Kiln Site is located in Hutian Village, southeast of present-day Jingdezhen City. Like a treasure lost to the heavens, it is sealed in the memory of history, a porcelain that scholars dreamed of.

A few people still carry on the ancient firing methods today. In the early Northern Song Dynasty, the upright firing method was commonly used, and it became increasingly sophisticated in the mid-Northern Song Dynasty.

Because the clay body is made of raw materials, high-temperature sintering produces bubbles, resulting in a more transparent glaze.

This Song Dynasty lotus-shaped bowl features a glaze that gradually transitions from a pale bluish-white to sky blue and lake green. The pure, clear, and richly varied hard celadon glaze greatly enhances the artistic effect of the decoration. The changes in glaze color also evoke a sense of beauty, like "musical melodies flowing through the soul."