Rise of Jingdezhen as the Porcelain Capital
- Jingdezhen kilns began producing porcelain as early as the Five Dynasties period (907-960 CE), and by the Song dynasty (960-1279 CE) it had become one of the four most famous porcelain production centers in China.[1][2]
- During the Yuan (1271-1368 CE) and Ming (1368-1644 CE) dynasties, Jingdezhen’s blue-and-white porcelain production rose to prominence and dominated the Chinese porcelain market, both domestically and for export.[1][3]
- By the 15th century, Jingdezhen housed the largest and most influential porcelain kilns in the world, producing millions of pieces for the imperial court, domestic use, and global trade.[3]
Kiln Technology and Fuel Sources
- The Jingdezhen kilns initially used wood as the primary fuel source, similar to the southern “dragon” kilns.[4]
- However, the search results do not provide specific details on when Jingdezhen may have transitioned to using coal as a fuel, unlike the northern kilns like Yaozhou and Ding which switched to coal in the Song dynasty.[4]
- Jingdezhen developed a unique “double-gourd” kiln design that was a hybrid of the southern dragon kilns and the northern mantou kilns, borrowing elements from both designs.[4]
- The Jingdezhen kilns utilized advanced techniques like upside-down firing and the use of saggars (firing cases) to maximize kiln capacity and production efficiency.[4]
Porcelain Production and Innovations
- During the Song dynasty, Jingdezhen was known for producing high-quality “qingbai” or “yingqing” porcelain wares with a transparent, slightly bluish glaze.[2][3]
- In the Ming dynasty, Jingdezhen became the center of blue-and-white porcelain production, using cobalt imported from the Middle East.[3]
- Later, the Jingdezhen kilns expanded their palette to include enameled colors like pink, white, green, and red, leading to more diverse and technically advanced porcelain products.[3]
- The porcelain wares from Jingdezhen were renowned for their craftsmanship and aesthetic qualities, and had a significant global influence, inspiring ceramic production in other parts of the world.[1][3]
In summary, Jingdezhen rose to become the preeminent porcelain production center in China, evolving its kiln technology, fuel sources, and ceramic innovations over the centuries to produce some of the finest porcelain wares in the world. Its influence extended globally, making significant contributions to the development of ceramic art and technology worldwide.
Citations:
[1] https://factsanddetails.com/china/cat7/sub40/entry-7574.html
[2] https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation?paperid=129356
[3] https://www.metmuseum.org/press/exhibitions/2012/chinese-ceramics-on-great-hall-balcony
[4] https://www.lse.ac.uk/Economic-History/Assets/Documents/Research/GEHN/LesTreilles/TreillesVainkerPaper.pdf
[5] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12520-021-01464-4
Leave a Reply