From Kiln Alchemy to Modern Marvels: Exploring the Enchantment of Flambe Glazed Porcelain
Jun Ware (Junyao) has captivated collectors for centuries with its magical transformation—entering the kiln with a single hue and emerging with a myriad of colors. Its glaze, shifting like the last light of dusk, is both profound and kaleidoscopic, seeming to lead one into a dreamscape of interwoven purples and blues. This unique beauty has not only endured through history but has also inspired countless artisans and artists to emulate and reimagine its essence.
鈞窯以其神奇的窯變之美——入窯一色，出窯萬彩——數百年來令無數收藏家為之傾倒。其釉色變幻如暮色餘暉，既深邃又斑斕，彷彿將人引入一片紫翠交融的夢幻之境。這種獨特之美不僅穿越歷史長河流傳至今，更激勵了無數匠人與藝術家對其神韻進行仿效與再創造。
A Northern Song Dynasty Jun Ware “Purple-Splashed” Bowl, measuring 9cm in diameter, sold for HKD 14.52 million at Sotheby’s Hong Kong Spring Auction on April 3, 2018, against an estimate of HKD 12-16 million. This treasure exemplifies not only the famed kiln transformation of Jun Ware but also carries deep historical significance. Historical records indicate that during the Yongzheng reign of the Qing Dynasty, the imperial kilns at Jingdezhen undertook large-scale imitations of Jun ceramics. The renowned supervising potter, Tang Ying, even dispatched an artisan named Wu Yaopu to Yuzhou, Henan, to investigate the original Jun firing techniques. In his memoir Taocheng Jishi Bei (Record of the Completion of Pottery), Tang Ying described the color characteristics of what he termed “Lujun glaze” (爐鈞釉), noting its hues fell between those of the “Guangdong Kiln” and “Yixing Glaze,” with particularly stunning, flowing patterns. “Guangdong Kiln” and “Yixing Glaze” refer respectively to the Shiwan Kiln of Foshan, Guangdong, and the Yixing Kiln of Jiangsu, both of which gained fame during the Ming Dynasty for their Jun-style imitations.
一件北宋鈞窯紫斑碗，口徑9公分，於2018年4月3日香港蘇富比春季拍賣會上以1,452萬港幣成交，估價為1,200萬至1,600萬港幣。這件珍品不僅展現了鈞窯著名的窯變之美，更承載著深厚的歷史底蘊。文獻記載，清朝雍正年間，景德鎮御窯廠曾大規模仿製鈞瓷。著名的督陶官唐英甚至派遣工匠吳堯圃前往河南禹州，深入探究鈞瓷的原始燒製技藝。在其著作《陶成紀事碑》中，唐英描述了所謂「爐鈞釉」的色彩特徵，指出其色調介於「廣窯」與「宜興掛釉」之間，且紋理流淌之美令人驚嘆。「廣窯」與「宜興掛釉」分別指廣東佛山的石灣窯與江蘇宜興窯，二者皆在明代因其鈞窯風格仿品而聞名。
At a Sotheby’s Hong Kong auction in 2017, a Ming Dynasty Shiwan Kiln imitation Jun blue-glazed three-legged narcissus basin sold for HKD 37,500. This piece is notable not only for its fine craftsmanship but also for its skillful application of Jun-style blue glaze. This glaze, as Tang Ying described the “Lujun” type, possesses a unique color between Shiwan and Yixing glazes, with patterns that flow naturally like water, full of dynamism.
在2017年香港蘇富比的一場拍賣會上，一件明石灣窯仿鈞藍釉三足水仙盆以37,500港幣成交。這件作品引人注目，不僅因其精湛工藝，更在於其對鈞式藍釉的巧妙運用。此種釉色，正如唐英所描述的「爐鈞」釉，其色調獨特，介於石灣窯與宜興釉之間，紋理則如水流般自然流淌，充滿動感。
So, what exactly is “Lujun” (爐鈞)? One theory originates from its manufacturing process, as it was fired in a high-temperature furnace kiln (lu), hence the name “Kiln-Jun.” Another folk etymology links it to a craftsman surnamed “Lu,” though scholarly consensus dismisses this association.
那麼，究竟什麼是「爐鈞」？一種說法源於其製作工藝，因其在高溫「爐」窯中燒製而得名。另一民間詞源則將其與一位姓「盧」的工匠聯繫起來，但學界普遍認為此說不足為信。
The production of Lujun glaze was particularly meticulous. A plain bisque body was first fired at high temperature. Glaze was then applied, and the piece was fired again at a lower temperature. Potters had to skillfully blend various mineral-based glaze components while precisely controlling kiln temperatures to achieve the spectacular flows of red, blue, green, and other colors.
爐鈞釉的生產極為考究。首先將素坯高溫燒製，然後施釉，再以較低溫度二次入窯燒成。工匠需巧妙配比各種礦物釉料，並精準控制窯溫，方能燒製出紅、藍、綠等色彩流淌變幻的奇觀。
According to the Qing Dynasty treatise Nan Yao Bij (Notes on the Southern Kilns), Lujun glaze was celebrated for its distinctive flowing color effects. Pieces with red spots were considered superior, while those with predominantly blue-green spots were of lesser value. Its early style was bold, intense, and vibrant. By the Yongzheng period, influenced by the emperor’s personal intervention in porcelain production, the Lujun style became more restrained, subtle, and elegantly refined. Blue became the dominant ground, speckled with spots of red and green, like stars scattered across the night sky. A variety where the red verged on purple, resembling the color of ripe sorghum heads—known as “Gaoliang Red” (高粱紅)—was especially praised as a top-quality product of the era.
根據清代著作《南窯筆記》記載，爐鈞釉以其獨特的窯變流淌效果而著稱。帶紅斑者為上品，藍綠斑為主者則次之。其早期風格奔放、濃烈、富有生機。至雍正時期，受皇帝本人對瓷器生產的干預影響，爐鈞風格轉向更為含蓄、內斂、清麗脫俗。藍色成為主色調，其上點綴紅、綠斑點，宛若繁星灑落夜空。其中一種紅色泛紫、色如成熟高粱穗的品種，被稱為「高粱紅」，尤被譽為當朝精品。
At Poly Hong Kong’s Autumn Auction in 2019, a Yongzheng-marked Lujun flambe-glazed ruyi sash-handled double-gourd vase, 18cm high, stood out. With an estimate of HKD 16-22 million, it eventually sold for HKD 19.47 million after fierce bidding, becoming a highlight of the sale.
在2019年保利香港秋季拍賣會上，一件清雍正款爐鈞釉如意綬帶耳葫蘆瓶（高18公分）脫穎而出。估價1,600萬至2,200萬港幣，經過激烈競價，最終以1,947萬港幣成交，成為該場拍賣的亮點。
Image: Qing Dynasty, Qianlong Mark and Period, Lujun Flambe-Glazed Cong-Form Vase, Palace Museum Collection.
圖片：清乾隆款爐鈞釉琮式瓶，故宮博物院藏。
Lujun glaze does not content itself with the purity and depth of monochrome glazes. Through the alchemy of the kiln fire and the sophisticated combination of glaze materials, it naturally forms flowing lines and patchwork patterns, creating a unique harmony of dots, lines, and planes. The mottled, cascading surface appears as if painted by nature’s own hand, layer upon layer, making each piece utterly unique. Among the many Lujun-glazed objects produced in the Qing imperial kilns, it is the works from the Yongzheng period that exhibit the most graceful and elegant sense of natural垂流 (vertical flowing).
爐鈞釉並不滿足於單色釉的純粹與深邃。透過窯火的淬鍊與釉料的精妙組合，它自然地形成了流淌的線條與斑駁的圖案，創造出一種點、線、面獨特的和諧。其斑斕流淌的釉面彷彿出自自然之手，層層疊疊，使得每一件作品都獨一無二。在清代御窯廠生產的眾多爐鈞釉器物中，唯以雍正朝作品所展現的垂流感最為清秀典雅。
In recent years, Lujun-glazed porcelain has garnered significant attention in the collecting world, with prices varying dramatically based on quality, period, and provenance. Particularly noteworthy is the record-breaking sale of a magnificent Qianlong imperial famille-rose and Lujun-glazed ‘Taiping Youxiang’ revolving vase.
近年來，爐鈞釉瓷器在收藏界備受矚目，其價格因品質、年代、來源不同而差異顯著。尤為值得注意的是，一件精美的乾隆御製胭脂紅地套爐鈞釉太平有象轉心瓶曾創下拍賣紀錄。
Image: Auction scene.
圖片：拍賣會現場。
At the Beijing Poly Autumn Auction on December 5, 2021, the sale of Lot 5537—the aforementioned vase—was dramatic. It opened at RMB 45 million and, after several rounds of intense bidding, hammered down at RMB 71.5 million, achieving a final price of RMB 82.225 million (including buyer’s premium). Let’s examine a few other notable auction results for Lujun-glazed artworks to understand the market landscape.
在2021年12月5日的北京保利秋季拍賣會上，上述拍品5537的拍賣過程充滿戲劇性。該瓶以4,500萬人民幣起拍，經過數輪激烈競價，以7,150萬人民幣落槌，最終成交價達8,222.5萬人民幣（含佣金）。讓我們再看幾件其他爐鈞釉藝術品的拍賣結果，以了解市場概況。
- 2015 Sotheby’s Hong Kong: A Qianlong Lujun flambe-glaved disc-mouthed string-necked vase sold for HKD 625,000.
- 2014 Christie’s New York: An 18th-century purple-clay Lujun-glazed rectangular teapot sold for USD 50,000.
- 2019 Sotheby’s Hong Kong: An 18th-19th century Lujun flambe-glazed string-patterned huagu (ritual beaker) sold for HKD 375,000.
- 2019 Sotheby’s New York: A Yongzheng-marked Lujun flambe-glazed prunus vase sold for USD 680,000.
- 2015 Sotheby’s Hong Kong: A Qianlong-marked Lujun flambe-glazed ruyi-handled flat flask sold for HKD 12.08 million.
- 2015年香港蘇富比： 一件清乾隆爐鈞釉盤口弦紋長頸賞瓶以625,000港幣成交。
- 2014年紐約佳士得： 一件清十八世紀紫泥爐鈞釉漢方壺以50,000美元成交。
- 2019年香港蘇富比： 一件清十八至十九世紀爐鈞釉弦紋花觚以375,000港幣成交。
- 2019年紐約蘇富比： 一件清雍正款爐鈞釉梅瓶以680,000美元成交。
- 2015年香港蘇富比： 一件清乾隆款爐鈞釉如意耳扁壺以12,080,000港幣成交。
This final piece, bearing the mark “Da Qing Qianlong Nian Zhi” (Made in the Great Qing Qianlong Reign), represents the pinnacle of imperial porcelain. Lujun glaze, this miracle of naturally flowing color, achieves a state of effortless perfection—fadao ziran (the Dao manifested naturally)—that requires no artificial embellishment to inspire awe and wonder.
最後這件帶有「大清乾隆年製」款識的作品，代表了宮廷瓷器的巔峰。爐鈞釉，這種自然流淌的色彩奇跡，達到了一種「法道自然」的境界——無需人工雕飾，便足以引發敬畏與讚嘆。
From 从传统到现代：炉钧釉瓷器的魅力探索
