Bowl with two rows of radiating strokes on a black ground

The style of making jian blackware, popularized in Fujian in southeastern China during the Song dynasty, was followed by many kilns for centuries. Northern imitations of the jian hare's-fur glaze produced various effects, some very close to the original. But as the jian technique fell into decline, the refined streaks associated with hare's-fur glaze, which were achieved by closely controlling the metallic content of the glaze and the firing temperature in the kiln, could not be easily reproduced. Yuan dynasty potters simply painted stripes inside the bowl, as seen in this piece.