This shallow, conical bowl has an elegantly curled rim and a rich rust-colored glaze that thins to reveal a subtle brown underglaze. Best known during Northern Sung for their celadon-glazed stoneware, the Yao-chou kilns in Shansi province also produced black and russet-glazed vessels like this one. These so-called persimmon glazed wares were fired at temperatures slightly higher than the celadons resulting in pieces that are hard and resonant.

A vessel like this demonstrates that while famous for its celadon, the Yao-chou kilns also tried to capture some of the developing Sung market in brown ware.