A HENAN CELADON DISH, MADE AT THE 'DONGGOU' KILNSD:21.2cm,H:4.8cmThe development of thick-glazed celadon was a major breakthrough in ceramic productions in the late Northern Song dynasty. According to ceramic archaeologist Qin Dashu, the Ru ware at Qingliangsi village, Baofeng county first employed this technique in producing fine bluishgreen celadon wares, exclusively for the Northern Song court. This technique soon proliferated to celadon kilns in central Henan region including kilns in Ruzhou, Yuzhou, and Lushan. The present dish with its fine crackled semi-opaque glaze was probably produced at Donggou kiln in Ruzhou city. Ruzhou has a long tradition of celadon production. The early products display features of Yaozhou celadon in terms of decoration and glaze type, and is named after the old administrative name of Ruzhou as Linru ware. In the late Northern Song period, potters in Ruzhou created new types of celadon to overcome limitations of Yaozhou-type glaze. The thick, semi-opaque glaze, as represented by the present piece, enriched the visual appeal of celadon and renders a jade-like tactile quality.