This stoneware Jun-type (钧) bowl has a conical form with a flared mouth, curved walls and a raised footrim. It is covered with a crackled, dark lavender-blue glaze, which stops around the footrim, revealing a buff coloured body.Qingbai kiln sites in Henan province have produced Jun and Ru wares since the late 10th century and may have continued into the early 15th century. Jun wares are considered one of the 'five great wares' of China, along with Ding, Guan, Ge and Ru.As they were produced in large quantities over a long period of time, Jun glazes vary from green-blue to blue-white to sky-blue to lavendar. Jun wares are thickly glazed and sometimes the rim of a vessel is left with a thin layer of olive glaze as is seen in this example. Dishes, bowls and stem cups were made perhaps during the earliest phase of the State Secretariat supervision during the Yuan dynasty, when production was limited to court wares. They were also made for the wealthy classes and for temple use.
