Song Dynasty porcelain is the old OG of “Less is more”!

It turns out that the people of the Song Dynasty were the first-generation players of “Less is more”! When a Southern Song Dynasty Longquan celadon bowl was sold for 800,000 pounds at Bonhams’ “Life of Song Dynasty Porcelain” auction in London, what collectors sought was not its elaborate patterns but its aesthetic restraint of “valuing simplicity”.

The glaze color of the small bowl with a slanted mouth from Jun Kiln is pure sky blue, and the fine crackles are natural and lively. The celadon tea bowl with a sunflower mouth has a warm and lustrous glaze color. The mending and nailing restoration adds even more beauty of its imperfections. The black-carved peony patterned plum vase has a dignified and elegant shape, with a graceful posture of the peony pattern. The Yaozhou kiln jars have sharp blades and rich layers of celadon glaze. The white glaze printed flower and stone pattern plate of Ding Kiln is exquisitely decorated, fully demonstrating the refined interests of scholars. The sauce-glazed sunflower mouth plate showcases understated luxury with its purple and gold glaze color.
Song Dynasty porcelain interprets the aesthetic philosophy of “simplicity is precious” by presenting “subtlety, elegance and tranquility” beneath its “plain and unadorned” appearance. This aesthetic has been carried over to modern minimalism and wabi-sabi style. From the blank space layout to the restrained expression of the lines of the objects, one can clearly see the Song people’s life aesthetic of “less is more”.

Leaving blank space is not blankness; it is the imaginative space reserved for life. Restraint is not modesty; it is a wise choice to return to the essence.
Today’s tea has run out. Next time, I’ll make some new ones and then accompany you to enjoy art.