Yao Bian, or kiln transmutation, refers to the process that occurs after porcelain is glazed and placed inside a kiln for firing. During this process, the glaze undergoes myriad unpredictable transformations under the intense heat, effects even the maker cannot fully command. Once a piece undergoes Yao Bian, every resulting item is an unparalleled treasure, absolutely unique.

Naturally, the kiln transmutation varies among different kilns. Take the Jun ware, one of the Five Great Famous Wares of the Northern Song Dynasty, for instance. This Jun ware is utterly colorless before entering the kiln, yet upon firing and removal, it reveals a dazzling array of colors that captivate the heart—the legendary ‘one color entering the kiln, ten thousand colors emerging.’

Equally renowned is the Yao Bian Temmoku ware from the Jian kilns. The precious nature of this porcelain needs no further mention. The brilliant, speckled pattern on the interior wall of this teacup strongly resembles a Partridge Spot You Di Temmoku Jian ware. Under the sunlight, the glaze spots inside the cup refract halo-like patches of light, appearing both real and illusory, eliciting gasps of astonishment.

Seeing this, it was no wonder the shopkeeper insisted this item was the legendary Yao Bian Temmoku cup.

“I’ve told you many times, this is not a Jian ware, nor is it Yao Bian Temmoku, and certainly not a Jizhou kiln black-glazed piece.”

As Elder Yan chastised them, he carefully lifted the teacup, turning it at different angles to admire the changing colors of the spots inside, ripples of extraordinary light flashing in his eyes. “You need to look further ahead; stop focusing solely on the small territory of the southern kilns. You should also consider the northern kilns.”

“Northern kilns? Zibo kiln?” one of the shopkeepers stammered.

“Ignorant.”

Elder Yan scolded without courtesy. “If the Zibo kiln could produce something with such exquisite craftsmanship, a thin, firm body, a profound and weighty black glaze, and Yao Bian effects as splendid as a peacock’s feathers, it would have long been as famous as Jian ware.”

The others deeply agreed; if the Zibo kiln possessed such skill, there was no reason for them not to know about it. There wasn't even any physical evidence of such artifacts unearthed from the kiln site, allowing them to directly rule out that possibility.

“Elder Yan, if you know the answer, please don’t keep it to yourself,” a shopkeeper quickly implored. “We are simply unlearned and lack insight; we beg for your guidance, Elder.”

The other shopkeepers realized this and quickly chimed in, “Yes, yes, please, Elder Yan, deign to instruct us.”

“No time.”

Elder Yan was engrossed in examining the teacup, refusing without even looking up. However, he wasn't entirely heartless, adding casually, “Ambition is not measured by age. If you don’t understand, ask those who do.”

The shopkeepers exchanged glances, naturally understanding Elder Yan meant they should consult Wang Guan. Of course, considering Wang Guan’s youth, they felt a little too proud to ask.

Fortunately, Wang Guan was perceptive and noticed the shopkeepers' awkwardness. Out of courtesy for their shared profession, he had no intention of being difficult and instead smiled directly, “If I’m not mistaken, this teacup should be Ding ware.”

“Ding ware?”

“What kind of Ding?”

“Did you misstate, or did I mishear? Is it the Ding from the Ding, Ru, Guan, Ge, Jun group of the Five Great Kilns?”

In an instant, the shopkeepers were bewildered, their eyes filled with suspicion. They doubted not only that they had misheard but even suspected Wang Guan might have mixed things up.

Ding ware, after all, was one of the Five Great Famous Wares of the Northern Song. While not every piece from the Five Great Kilns was a treasured antique, it was undeniable that items from these kilns were generally more precious than ordinary porcelain.

But in many people’s minds, Ding ware should have a thin, lustrous body and a pure, moist white glaze. Simply put, Ding ware inherited the techniques of the Tang Dynasty Xing ware, mass-producing white porcelain, with only a small amount of…

“Wait, Black Ding!”

Suddenly, one shopkeeper reacted, his face flushed with excitement. “Black Ding, black as lacquer.”

“What?”

“It really is Black Ding?”

In a flash, the other shopkeepers realized, immediately remembering. Although Ding ware was famous for producing white porcelain, it also fired pieces with black, (brownish-red), and green glazes, documented as Black Ding, Purple Ding, and Green Ding, respectively.

Among these, Black Ding had the fewest surviving examples, commanding the highest price and being the most cherished.

At the same time, someone raised a query: “That can’t be right. Isn’t Black Ding supposed to be black as pitch, lustrously dark? How can there be Yao Bian markings inside the cup?”

“You see too little.”

Elder Yan slowly set down the teacup and glared. “Are you unaware that Black Ding has three main categories? The first category is pure black, the glaze surface pitch-black and glossy, extremely plain. The second category has Yao Bian traces on the glaze surface, perhaps Hare’s Fur patterns, or Oil Drop spots, or colors resembling rust, and so on. As for the third category, that utilizes gold decoration, with gold lines painted on the exterior and designs like dragons and phoenixes painted on the interior—rich in color yet appearing very solemn.”

Under Elder Yan’s instruction, the shopkeeper suddenly understood but then posed a new question: “Elder Yan, to my knowledge, Black Ding has a pure white body with a lustrous black glaze. But when I examined the foot just now, the body was a pale yellow.”

“Ignorance.”

In an instant, Elder Yan resented their lack of progress. “Since you know Black Ding is white-bodied with black glaze, you should also know that the so-called white body/bone is actually white tinged with a faint yellow. Moreover, the teacup has been sitting for a long time and has picked up a lot of yellow mud, so it naturally looks more yellow and turbid. Once the grime is wiped away, the white body will be visible…”

As he spoke, Elder Yan carefully lifted the teacup and turned it over. Indeed, the cleaned foot ring had turned significantly whiter, and the fine, dense quality of the body was clearly visible. Only such meticulous body structure could allow the cup walls to be made so thin.

“Furthermore, you should know that unlike the direct firing used for previous ceramics, Ding ware employed the Fu Shao (upside-down) firing method. Fu Shao has many advantages, such as maximizing the use of kiln space, saving fuel, preventing distortion of the vessels, thus lowering costs and greatly increasing output. However, it also has a distinct drawback…”

At this point, Elder Yan placed the teacup flat on the table and pointed to the rim. “Now that the piece is clean, you should also see clearly: the cup has a Mang Kou (a rough, unglazed rim), which is a distinctive feature left by upside-down firing.”

The Fu Shao method involves firing bowls and plates inverted. While this increases output and lowers costs, to prevent the pieces from sticking together, the rim cannot be glazed, leaving the body exposed—hence the term Mang Kou.

“No wonder Elder Yan touched the rim earlier and suddenly launched into the anecdote about the white cat and black cup,” a shopkeeper sighed with a smile. “It turns out he knew this was a Black Ding cup at that moment.”

“What do you know?” Elder Yan suddenly sighed. “Just now, I thought it was merely an ordinary Black Ding. Only after the item revealed its true colors did I realize this is actually an Imperial Kiln Black Ding. If I had known earlier, I would have sacrificed my old face just to snatch it.”

“Imperial Kiln Black Ding!” The others were startled again.

It is known that Ding ware began as an ordinary folk kiln, originating in the Tang Dynasty, quietly absorbing the white porcelain techniques of the Xing kiln. After hundreds of years of accumulation, it finally began producing imperial wares for the court in the mid-to-late Northern Song period, thus becoming the so-called Imperial Kiln. Only then was it ranked alongside Jun, Guan, and Ge wares, known as the Five Great Famous Wares.

The difference between folk Ding and Imperial Ding must be distinguished, lest everyone assume every piece of Ding ware is a masterpiece. In reality, some were of mediocre quality; only Imperial Ding ware is the treasure yearned for by collectors throughout history.

Clearly, Elder Yan believed this teacup should be Imperial Ding, a former court item.

“Elder Yan, what is your basis for saying that?”

This was no longer a challenge but a serious request for instruction.

“You need to observe carefully…” Elder Yan was not being secretive, explaining slowly. “Some ancient documents mention that initially, the Northern Song court did not use Ding ware precisely because of the Mang rim. However, later, no one knows whose idea it was, but gold and silver were inlaid onto the Mang Kou, which elevated the status, finally leading the court to accept Ding ware.”

“Come and feel the edge of the cup rim; do you feel faint traces?” Elder Yan pointed out. “This is the indentation left by years of having gold or silver rims inlaid.”

Taking this opportunity, the group of shopkeepers all reached out to touch the teacup, carefully feeling the fine texture and deep, glossy luster of the Black Ding porcelain. They needed no further explanation from Elder Yan; if quality like this wasn't Imperial Ding, it would defy the laws of nature.

“Heh heh, we finally get to see a genuine treasure from the Five Great Famous Wares!”

“I’ve only seen them in museums before; getting to feel one up close and examine it personally is a first.”

“Today is auspicious; we’ve hit the jackpot…”

From the shopkeepers' muffled chuckles, it was clear they had no doubt about Elder Yan’s judgment; they were merely looking for an excuse to play with and appreciate the Black Ding teacup thoroughly.

“Handle it carefully, but don’t break it. If you do, selling all of you wouldn't cover the cost,” Elder Yan warned sternly. This seemed like a caution, but it was also an indirect reminder.

At this moment, Hao Baolai carefully inquired, “Elder Yan, I know Ding ware is precious. How much is this Black Ding teacup worth?”

“Always talking about money, how vulgar,” Elder Yan frowned. “A rare treasure like this cannot be measured by money. Sometimes, no amount of money can acquire it.”

Hao Baolai instantly gave an embarrassed smile, inwardly disagreeing slightly. He believed there was nothing in the world that money couldn't buy; it was just a matter of how much money was involved.

“Brother Hao, don’t be so skeptical. Elder Yan is right; such a treasure truly cannot be bought with money because it simply isn’t available on the market,” Gao Dequan said with a smile. “Let me think… it seems that back in 2002, a Black Ding cup with similar You Di speckles was auctioned at Christie’s Autumn Sale in Hong Kong. Ten years have passed since then, and no other piece of similar treasure has appeared.”

“Note that I said treasured masterpiece, not ordinary Black Ding,” Gao Dequan stipulated in advance, lest Hao Baolai check records and find other Black Ding auctions, then accuse him of lying.

“I understand,” Hao Baolai nodded, extremely curious. “How much did that treasured Black Ding cup sell for?”

“I don’t remember clearly,” Gao Dequan recalled, thinking carefully but uncertainly. “I think it was over thirteen million Hong Kong dollars.”

“Thirteen million…”

Hao Baolai clicked his tongue. He was knowledgeable and certainly understood that compared to ten years ago, art market prices had multiplied several times over. So, how much might this current Black Ding teacup be worth?