Dish with Chrysanthemum Rim in Light Blue-green Glaze Porcelain, Kuan Ware Southern Sung, 12th-13th c. Height: 4.5 cm, mouth diameter, 18.5 cm, base diameter: 13.3 cm     The rim and sides of this plate form the shape of a chrysanthemum blossom. The bottom is flat and the center is slightly concave and rests on a broad but short foot ring with thin walls. Eight spur marks are found along the base. Except for the spur marks, the dark-bodied plate is completely covered with a pastel green glaze. The shiny glaze has ochre crackling much admired by connoisseurs. The glaze is thick and at the mouth it is pastel purplish in color. The foot rim is also glazed, but not completely.      The Kuan ("official") ware of the Southern Sung reflects the taste of the court at the time. It represents the pursuit of lustrous glaze and fine crackle as well as subject matter derived from nature. In this case, the form of the chrysanthemum was one of the shapes of flowers borrowed to create exceptionally refined and naturalistic ceramics for the Sung court.