Although Chu Chen had never believed that Jin Dynasty Ding ware did not produce porcelain, he had thought it was definitely impossible for Jin Ding ware to surpass Song Ding ware in craftsmanship. It was only after he later read the relevant materials at Old Liu's place and saw some exquisite Jin Ding pieces that he changed his mind.
Contrary to what most people had previously believed, after the Jin Dynasty took control of the north, the Ding ware porcelain industry, which had temporarily declined in the late Northern Song, underwent tremendous development. Its output, kiln scale, and production techniques even surpassed those of the late Northern Song. Dragon and phoenix designs and traditional patterns continued to be widely used, while carved or stamped motifs such as paired fish, lotus flowers with ducks, lotuses, peonies, daylilies, floral scrolls, and key-fret patterns became even more elaborate and beautiful.
The finest Jin Dynasty Ding ware mainly featured impressed decoration, and there was quite a lot of it. Its craftsmanship was no worse than that of the Northern Song and, in some respects, even surpassed it. During this period, colored-glaze impressed ware became more mature and magnificent, while the finest carved designs were exceptionally exquisite. The intricate beauty of the decoration reached a new peak.
However, only early Jin Dynasty Ding ware could compare with Song Dynasty Ding ware, and even then, the quality of the clay body and glaze showed a downward trend. By the middle and late Jin Dynasty, although the designs remained clear, the clay bodies had already become very coarse, the glaze surfaces were dirty, most pieces had grayish clay bodies, and the glaze lacked luster. They had lost the splendor of earlier times.
Therefore, although there were still fine pieces of Jin Dynasty Ding ware, they were relatively