The beginning of Chun ware is uncertain, but a large quantity of kilns excavated near the ancient site of the Northern Sung capital of K'ai-feng in today's Honan province indicates that it began sometime during the Northern Sung period (960-1127). Although originally an imperial ceramic, the great demand for the richly glazed blue ware resulted in kiln sites being established throughout China and its popularity continued at least through the Yuan dynasty (1280-1368). The double gourd shape of this ewer however is extremely rare in Chun ware and only a few are know.