Song Dynasty Ding Kiln White Glaze Three – Legged Incense Burner
[Collection Overview]
This item is a classic white – glazed three – legged incense burner from the Ding Kiln of the Song Dynasty, a representative piece of the “Ding Kiln”, one of the five famous kilns in the Song Dynasty of China. The Ding Kiln is renowned worldwide for its exquisite white porcelain, featuring lustrous glazes and superb craftsmanship, which have always been highly cherished in the antique collection circle. This burner has a stately and simple shape, with a pure white and smooth glaze surface. It inherits the essence of the “incense – related culture” of the literati in the Song Dynasty, making it a precious physical object for studying the ceramic art and the aesthetics of daily life in the Song Dynasty.
[Craft Features]
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Natural Glaze Quality: Using the unique kaolin and glaze formula of the Ding Kiln, the glaze color is ivory – white, as smooth and gentle as jade. The glaze surface is fine and dense. After a millennium of time, natural crackles and slight traces of use can be seen in some parts, adding a touch of historical charm.
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Traditional Firing: Following the traditional manual porcelain – making techniques of the Ding Kiln in the Song Dynasty, the body of the burner has a dense and delicate texture, with uniform thickness, which reflects the high – level maturity of the porcelain – making technology at that time.
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Simple and Elegant Patterns: The middle part of the burner is decorated with string patterns and simple geometric designs. The lines are smooth and powerful. Without excessive complexity, it shows an ancient and noble atmosphere, which conforms to the aesthetic pursuit of “investigating things to acquire knowledge” in the Song Dynasty.
[Shape Analysis]
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Stable Three Legs: There are three column – shaped legs at the bottom of the burner, with distinct edges and evenly spaced intervals. They not only ensure stability but also present a straight and upright posture, embodying the philosophical concept of “the sky is round and the earth is square”.
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Symmetrical Ears: There are semi – circular standing ears on both sides of the mouth rim. With a graceful arc, they blend naturally with the curve of the burner body. They are convenient for lifting and have both practicality and decorative value.
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Harmonious Proportion: From the mouth rim, the neck, the abdomen to the feet, the lines of the whole burner are round and full, and the proportion is precise, demonstrating the aesthetic principle of “combining form and spirit” in the Song – Dynasty artifacts.
[Historical and Cultural Value]
As one of the five famous kilns (Ru, Guan, Ge, Jun, and Ding) in the Song Dynasty, the Ding Kiln’s white – porcelain technology was unparalleled in the world and had a profound influence. The three – legged incense burner was a commonly used incense – burning utensil in the study rooms and ceremonial places of the literati in the Song Dynasty, carrying the dual connotations of “incense culture” and “ceremony culture”. This burner is not only a microcosm of the ceramic art in the Song Dynasty but also witnesses the life philosophy of “cultivating one’s character with incense” of the traditional Chinese literati. It has important historical, artistic, and cultural research values.
[Collection Suggestions]
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Rarity: Genuine Ding Kiln artifacts from the Song Dynasty are extremely rare, and the white – glazed three – legged incense burner is even more precious. It is a classic choice for high – end antique collections.
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Display and Research: It is suitable for display in a study, a tea room, or a cultural and artistic space to create an oriental classical atmosphere. It can also serve as a physical reference for ceramic historians to study the Ding Kiln technology in the Song Dynasty.
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Storage Precautions: Antique porcelain is fragile. Please avoid strong collisions and sudden temperature changes. Store it in a dry and ventilated environment. It is recommended to use a soft cushion and a dust cover for protection.
[About the Ding Kiln]
The Ding Kiln started firing porcelain in the Tang Dynasty and reached its peak in the Northern Song Dynasty. It was famous for producing white porcelain and also fired black – glazed, sauce – glazed, and green – glazed porcelain, which were known as “black Ding”, “purple Ding”, and “green Ding” respectively. Its “inverted firing method” and the decorative techniques of “carving, incising, and printing” had a far – reaching impact on the later porcelain – making industry, marking a glorious chapter in the history of Chinese ceramics.

宋代定窯白釉三足爐
【藏品概述】
本品為宋代定窯經典白釉三足爐,屬中國宋代五大名窯之一「定窯」的代表性器物。定窯以精緻白瓷聞名於世,其釉色瑩潤、工藝精湛,歷來為古董收藏界所珍視。此爐器型端莊古樸,釉面潔白溫潤,承襲宋代文人雅士「香事」文化之精髓,是研究宋代陶瓷藝術與生活美學的珍貴實物。
【工藝特徵】
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釉質天成:採用定窯獨特的高嶺土與釉料配方,釉色呈象牙白,溫潤如玉,釉面細緻緊密,經千年時光沉澱,局部可見自然開片與輕微使用痕跡,更添歷史韻味。
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傳統燒制:遵循宋代定窯傳統手工制瓷工藝,胎質堅密細膩,厚薄均勻,體現當時制瓷技術的高度成熟。
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紋飾簡雅:爐身中部飾有弦紋與簡約幾何紋樣,線條流暢有力,不事繁複卻顯高古之氣,符合宋代「格物致知」的審美追求。
【器型解析】
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三足穩固:爐底設三柱形足,稜角分明,間距均勻,既保證穩定性,又顯挺拔之勢,體現「天圓地方」的哲思。
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雙耳對稱:口沿兩側設半環形立耳,弧度優美,與爐身曲線自然過渡,便於提握,兼具實用性與裝飾性。
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比例協調:整器由口沿、頸部、腹部至足部,線條圓潤飽滿,比例嚴謹,展現宋代器物「形神兼備」的造型美學。
【歷史與文化價值】
定窯作為宋代五大名窯(汝、官、哥、鈞、定)之一,其白瓷技術獨步天下,影響深遠。三足爐為宋代文人書齋與禮儀場所常用之焚香器具,承載著「香文化」與「禮儀文化」的雙重內涵。本品不僅是宋代陶瓷藝術的縮影,更見證了中國傳統文人「以香養性」的生活哲學,具有重要的歷史、藝術與文化研究價值。
【收藏建議】
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稀缺性:宋代定窯真品存世量稀少,白釉三足爐尤為難得,是高端古董收藏的經典之選。
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陳設與研究:適合陳列於書房、茶室或文化藝術空間,營造東方古典氛圍;亦可供陶瓷史研究者作為宋代定窯工藝的實物參考。
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保存須知:古董瓷器易碎,請避免劇烈碰撞與劇溫變化,存放於乾燥、通風環境,建議搭配軟質墊座與防塵罩保護。
【關於定窯】
定窯始燒於唐代,興盛於北宋,以產白瓷著稱,兼燒黑釉、醬釉和綠釉瓷,世稱「黑定」「紫定」「綠定」。其「覆燒法」與「劃花、刻花、印花」裝飾技藝對後世制瓷業影響深遠,是中國陶瓷史上的輝煌篇章。
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