The changes in iron-red gold-ring glaze can only be described as unpredictable, and the conditions for producing it are extremely narrow. Advancing each level demands a great deal of time and effort; those who cannot endure the hardship often stop after only a shallow attempt. By the second level, only a few persevere; by the fourth level, one becomes a rare species indeed. One might ask: is there anyone else at the fifth level? And yet, to carry forward and pass on this precious traditional glaze with such dedication — who truly understands it?
Level One:
The glaze surface shows dense small red dots on a base color of black tinged with red, or large areas of red appear. Most experimenters remain at this level.
Level Two:
The glaze surface shows red blooms of varying sizes; the base color is black tinged with red, and the red blooms carry black within the red, with a somewhat thin hue.
Level Three:
The red blooms are truly red and the black base is truly black, with good color saturation, giving a fresh and vivid visual effect.
Level Four:
The red blooms are even redder and the black base even blacker, with excellent color saturation; a distinct golden ring appears around the edge of each red bloom, giving a fresh and elegant visual effect.
Level Five:
A double golden ring appears around the edge of the red blooms, like the growth rings of a tree — except each ring here takes ten years to form.
Xixinzhai — Ancient and Contemporary Ceramic Art
June 5, 2021
