真正的宋代官窑玄纹瓶标本Guan Kiln

北宋官窑创烧于北宋晚期（约在宋徽宗时期，公元1107年左右），当时为了满足宫廷对高档瓷器的需求，特地在都城汴京（今河南开封）设窑烧制。
二、窑址
历史上所说的“官窑”实际上有两个阶段：
1. 北宋汴京官窑：真正的北宋官窑，遗址不详，但普遍认为靠近开封附近。
2. 南宋官窑（修内司窑、郊坛下窑）：北宋灭亡后，南宋在杭州设立新的官窑，继续延续御用瓷传统。
三、器物特征
北宋官窑的典型特征主要有以下几个方面：
• 釉色：以青釉为主，色泽温润，胎体厚重，有“雨过天青云破处”的美誉。
• 开片：器表有美丽的“冰裂纹”（即“开片”），纹理自然，是其标志性特征之一。
• 胎骨：胎体多为灰黑色或深色，因使用高铁胎土，通常不上釉的底部会显露出来。
• 造型：端庄典雅，多仿青铜器或古代玉器造型，显示出皇家气派。
四、文物级价值
由于北宋官窑的烧制时间短暂、数量极少，加上是御窑产品，因此传世品极为罕见，被称为“瓷器中的国宝”。现今被收藏在故宫博物院、台北故宫等地为主，私人收藏极少见.

Northern Song Dynasty Official Kiln

I. Origin
The Northern Song official kiln was established in the late Northern Song period, around the reign of Emperor Huizong (circa 1107 AD). It was specially set up in the capital city of Bianjing (present-day Kaifeng, Henan Province) to meet the imperial court’s demand for high-grade porcelain.

II. Kiln Sites
Historically, the term “official kiln” refers to two distinct stages:
1. Northern Song Bianjing Official Kiln: The true official kiln of the Northern Song dynasty. The exact site remains unknown, but it is widely believed to have been near present-day Kaifeng.
2. Southern Song Official Kilns (Xiuneisi Kiln, Jiaotanxia Kiln): After the fall of the Northern Song, the Southern Song dynasty established new official kilns in Hangzhou to continue the tradition of producing porcelain for the imperial court.

III. Characteristics of the Ware
Typical features of Northern Song official kiln porcelain include:
• Glaze: Primarily celadon glaze, with a lustrous and gentle tone. The ware has been praised as resembling “a clear sky after rain breaking through the clouds.”
• Crackle Pattern: The surface exhibits beautiful “ice crack” patterns (known as crackle or “kai pian”), which form naturally and are a signature characteristic.
• Clay Body: Often gray-black or dark in color due to the use of high-iron clay. The unglazed bottom usually reveals the dark body.
• Shape: The forms are stately and elegant, often imitating ancient bronze or jade artifacts, reflecting an imperial style.

IV. Cultural and Historical Value
Due to the short production period, extremely limited quantity, and its status as imperial ware, Northern Song official kiln porcelain is exceedingly rare and highly prized, known as the “national treasure of ceramics.” Today, most surviving pieces are housed in institutions such as the Palace Museum in Beijing and the National Palace Museum in Taipei, with very few in private collections.