Dehua kiln is one of the folk kilns, the Ming and Qing dynasties reached a prosperous heyday, especially to He Chaozong as the representative of the production of Dehua white porcelain is renowned around the world, known as "China White". Dehua porcelain has a pure and hard texture, color and lustre bright white characteristics, popular at home and abroad. Dehua porcelain export also has a long history, throughout Asia, Africa, Europe, has an important position in international trade, to promote Sino-foreign economic and cultural exchanges and mutual understanding to make an important contribution.
Geographic location and historical development of Dehua kilns
Dehua is located in the central part of Fujian Province, and was historically under the jurisdiction of Quanzhou Prefecture. The Dehua kiln is a famous porcelain kiln in the south of China in ancient times, named after the kiln site located in Dehua County. Dehua kiln is one of the representative porcelain kilns in Fujian Province. According to archaeological data, Dehua kiln has been firing pottery since the late Neolithic period to the Shang and Zhou periods, developed in the Song and Yuan periods, and flourished in the Ming and Qing periods, especially the white porcelain of the Ming Dynasty is the most characteristic. Due to the different formulas of raw materials and kiln variation phenomenon and other reasons, resulting in different types of white porcelain, the main types of porcelain are "child red" (white flashing red), "ivory white" (white flashing yellow), "lard white" (white like fat), "white" (white like grease), "white" (white like grease), "white porcelain" (white like grease), "white porcelain" (white like grease). " (white as fat), etc., known as the representative of Chinese white porcelain. Especially the porcelain sculpture created by He Chaozong as the representative porcelain sculptor, became the Dehua white porcelain masterpieces. Along with the prevalence of the ancient Maritime Silk Road, Dehua porcelain became one of the major Chinese export porcelain, witnessing the prosperity of the Chinese Maritime Silk Road.
Academic research and historical records of Dehua ancient porcelain
Ancient and modern Chinese and foreign research on Dehua ancient porcelain and comment on many. The earliest documented work on Dehua white porcelain is Yan Hua's "Pottery Law" from the late Tang and the Five Dynasties. Qing Dynasty Swing Yaya: "The white porcelain flower pots produced in Dehua are snow-white, inexpensive and not vulgar in style." Qing "Jingdezhen pottery book" reads: "Since the Ming burned, this Quanzhou Province Dehua County ...... called white porcelain, quite moist, but the body is very thick, there are thin, but the statue of Buddha is very good." Republic of China "drink stream Zhai said porcelain" contained: "after the system out of Dehua, color very white, and quite bright, also known as the Fu kiln ...... white is quite similar to the Ding kiln, but there is no open slice, the best porcelain is quite thick, and the surface can be reflected in the finger shadows, to white in the flash of red for the expensive."
In recent decades, a group of experts and scholars in China on the Dehua kiln and Dehua ancient porcelain research from practice to theory continue to have new results. Song Boyin "talk about Dehua kiln", mainly discussed the Dehua ancient porcelain form, glaze, techniques, decorative techniques. Feng Xianming, Chinese Ceramics, explains in detail the characteristics of the Dehua kiln's tire and glaze, the types of objects, and the decorative techniques. Zhu Peichu "Ming and Qing ceramics and the exchange of world culture" on the Dehua white porcelain export situation has a detailed account. In addition, Geng Baochang, Tu Hua, edited by "China's ancient kilns series of books" in the "Dehua kiln" and Chen Wanli "investigation of ancient kiln sites in southern Fujian, such as a small note" also from different aspects of the description of the Dehua white porcelain. British ancient ceramics research expert Tang - Nali ( P. J. Donnelly) by "China White - Fujian Dehua white porcelain" is known as the first study of Dehua "China White" ( BLANC DE CHINE) encyclopedic monograph.
Ancient records on the Dehua kiln ancient porcelain description
Dehua kiln is located in the hinterland of Daiyun Mountain, rich in porcelain soil resources, water, convenient transportation, is the ideal place to burn porcelain. Five Dynasties period, Dehua kiln scale is relatively small, firing products are mostly yellow-brown, also produces celadon; Song Dynasty began to make rapid progress, especially the white porcelain firing technology and glaze color is excellent, become China's white porcelain production center in the south; Yuan Dynasty, with the revival of the port of Quanzhou close to the Dehua, the Dehua white porcelain is exported to overseas; the Ming Dynasty is the peak of the production of ceramics in Dehua Kiln, the level of craftsmanship and scale have reached an unprecedented height, Dehua porcelain has become a representative of the national porcelain industry at that time. At that time, the national porcelain handicraft industry represented varieties. In the middle and late Qing Dynasty, Dehua white porcelain production decreased, the quality declined, and its mainstream position was replaced by blue and white porcelain.
Overview of the Dehua kilns as recorded in ancient records
The Dehua kilns were centered in Dehua County, Quanzhou, Fujian Province, with kiln sites densely scattered around. Dehua belonged to Quanzhou Prefecture in the Ming Dynasty, the early Qing Dynasty belonged to the Yongchun Directly under the state, the relevant records of the Ming and Qing Fujian local records are shown in the table below. From the above table can be seen, Dehua kiln site radiation range is the Quanzhou Province and Yongchun state, the firing of porcelain to white porcelain, "white and lovely". Its territory also contains a rare rich underground high-quality porcelain clay for porcelain firing to provide the basis: the Republic of China "Dehua County Records": "Guanyinzaki, a white mud Saki, Bixiaoyan at the top of the mountain, the whole mountain for miles are all the magnetic soil, the eupharmonic magnetism is produced here."
The county within the Guanyinqi porcelain clay quantity, good quality, easy to mine, around the porcelain kiln more than from this place to take the soil. The record is also contained: "Eup people say: the producers of magnetic, paper, iron for bulk, I do not know the three outside of the force to save and profit a lot of people, the forest is also. Please try to say, Dehua in ten thousand mountains, forests as far as the eye can see are, in the cedar pine for the most." It can be known that Dehua County, within the forested areas of the mountains abound in pine firewood resources, is a natural fuel for the firing of porcelain. Dehua County is located in China's southeastern coast, is a subtropical maritime climate, warm and humid suitable for the growth of vegetation, dense forests, porcelain industry for the provision of indispensable external conditions.
The ancient records of the Dehua porcelain firing technology and ware type
Dehua white porcelain is one of the important series in the field of ceramic production in ancient China, its manufacturing process and artistic achievements in the history of Chinese ceramic development occupies a prominent position. Its tire soil is dense and delicate, the glaze color is warm, thin and transparent to welcome the light. Yuan Dynasty Dehua porcelain also became a tribute to the court: "white porcelain out of Dehua, Yuan on the supply." See its exquisite. In addition, people in the production practice have also summarized a set of firing technology. Ancient records are also described.
Magnetic ware, mud produced in the mountains, cave and logging, and out of the root. Pound the pestle and mortar fine smooth, into the water to clarify the fly, panned the stone residue, toned in the stone well, to percolate its water, it is tanniwa for ware. If the stone is thick, it will be cracked, and if it is thin, it will be bitter and useless. The food utensils were mostly coarse and clumsy, but now their fineness is quite inferior to that of Rao.
In addition, the Ming "Quannan Magazine" also contains: "Dehua County white porcelain, produced in the mountains behind the Cheng Temple. Cave and logging, andrope and out of the very fine and smooth, panned the slag, flying clarified a number of times, pouring stone wells to percolate its water, is haniwa for the device. The stone is a Hongjun, and the foot pushes and turns. Thin is bitter useless, thick is blooming cracks, the nature of the soil. At first, it seemed to be expensive, but now it is spreading a lot and is not very heavy. Or said that when the kiln was opened, under which more white porcelain, fear of injury to the earth's veins, and then cover it." Accordingly, the porcelain billet is mainly wheeled into type, that is, after the clay pounding, "pestle pounding fine smooth, into the water to fly clarification, clean slag", and then on the wheel for billet, so that it is the right thickness, and then into the kiln to burn.
Dehua porcelain is second only to the famous Jiangxi Jingdezhen Rao porcelain. Wanli "Quanzhou Fu Zhi" in: "Magnetic ...... and colored white second to Rao magnetic ......"; Qianlong "Yongchun Prefecture Zhi" in: "Dehua County, farmers living in the Valley ...... pottery type of ware, second to Rao magnetic." Dehua porcelain variety, rich in ware type, mainly divided into the following categories:
Daily-use porcelain and artistic furnishings porcelain. Mainly bowls, plates, cups, plates, marigolds, boxes, wash, spoons, lamp bases, stoves, bottles and other types of sculpture porcelain. Qianlong "Yongchun state" in: "poppies, bottles, jars, ampoules, white and lovely, out of Dehua, Yongchun also have it." Qianlong "Dehua County Records" and the Republic of China "Dehua County Records" are contained: "poppies, bottles, jars, ampoules, white and lovely." Qianlong "Yongchun state": "Min book": Dehua ...... pottery type of gas, sub Rao Jiu, the service of the thin end, there is an ancient legacy of wind." Here, "there is an ancient heritage wind" means that Dehua porcelain has an antique model. The main models are tripods, knighthoods, zun and so on. Qianlong "Dehua County Zhi" and the Republic of China "Dehua County Zhi" are contained: "Jennings, Fan gold and magnetism is the main, so the recipient of wine." "Father temple main hall system of silk one end, white, white magnetic Jennifer three"; "Dongzhe ...... white magnetic Jennifer each one"; "Chongsheng Wang Ancestral Temple ...... three white magnetic knights each".
Porcelain sculpture is mainly famous in the world. Common Guanyin, Dharma, the Eight Immortals and so on. Tiangongkaiwu" said: white porcelain "where the white clay is said to be chalk, for the potter's fine ware. China out but five or six places, the north is Zhending Dingzhou ...... South is the spring county of Dehua ...... Dehua kiln only to burn porcelain immortal, exquisite figures, playware, not practical". It can be seen that it is famous for sculpture of immortal and Buddhist figures.
Dehua kiln artifacts and musical instruments, such as white porcelain flute. Qianlong "Yongchun state record", "Dehua magnetic bamboo xiao flute, color white, style is also good, but tired of a hundred branches without a two-tone, together with the sound of the mournful, far away from the bamboo. Yunmeng, Ke Ting outside, and there is a different kind of this. Into the hands of Li Mu, that is, into the broken, when not suffering from the crack in the crack."
The Ming and Qing Dynasties Dehua white porcelain
Dehua white porcelain has been produced in the Song Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty began to become a representative variety of national porcelain industry. Archaeological excavations of a large number of Ming and Qing period Dehua kiln site in kind, local history and other writings are also recorded. Combing its development, found that the white porcelain production can be divided into three periods. 1.
The middle of the Ming Dynasty to the early years of the Qing Dynasty. The above-mentioned Ming Hongzhi "eight Min Tongzhi", Wanli "Quanzhou Fu Zhi" mentioned "white porcelain out of Dehua County", "white porcelain, out of Dehua Chengtian Temple in the mountains, white and lovely". Late Ming Chen Maoren "Quannan Magazine" said: Dehua white porcelain "at first seems to be expensive, now spread more". Qing "Min production recorded different" also said: "Shunzhi before the old kiln, the production of Buddha, earthenware, bottle plate, jia, all exquisite and elegant. Its color white now pink, so far the price of Xiang carry on." Analysis from these records, from the Ming Cheng Hong period of Dehua white porcelain revival, to Jiawan period for the peak, extended to the period of the Shunzhi Qing dynasty. 2.
Qing Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong three dynasties. At this time the quality of white porcelain is quite high. Fifty-one years of Kangxi (1712) Yin Shixun "Yao Tai pottery smoke" poem: "the world heard that the Jian kiln, the quality of the firm posture like Kunyao." The "Jian kiln" here refers to the kiln industry in Fujian. The "quality of firmness" is a description of the appearance of Dehua white porcelain. During the Qianjia period, Lian Shizuan's Longxun Zhu Zhi Zi (Longxun's Bamboo Words) said, "The reputation of white porcelain spreads across the rivers and seas. It shows that the white porcelain reputation at that time, high social status.
After the Qing Jia Dao to the Republic of China, the quality of porcelain is declining, the craft tends to decline. Qing "Min production record dissimilarity" recorded Dehua kiln: "all white porcelain, out of Dehua County. ...... However, the statue of Buddha is not as good as the lotus platform, bottles and plates are not as good as the north and south of the fixed. Nearly tire thick and coarse, glaze Ying and thin, gradually less expensive." Visible, Qianjia, Dehua white porcelain has begun to decline. The Republic of China "Dehua County Records," said: "Dehua Su number of wood-producing areas, cover the poor rocky valleys, waterway isolation, cutting transport Vikings, so the old material. Recently, people are thick with miscellaneous, Dan Dan axe catty, and iron stove, magnetic kiln, wide need for firewood, several and ten thousand forests and ochre. Jiamu people then do not enter." Explained due to the previous porcelain kiln factory too much, so that the Qianlong period as a kiln fuel forest timber deforestation is serious, on the verge of exhaustion.
Another example is the Qianlong "Yongchun state" contains: "Min Dehua magnetic tea ou, style is also good, class Xuan fill white. I first to diarrhea tea, dull and colorless, blame the child is not responsible for the tea. More easy to other hands, color as before. Xie Jun said: 'to inject jingde ou, then the tender green is added.' Try, good. It is known that the Dehua kiln ware not heavy at the time of the person, not only dislike its tire heavy, pink color is also enough to cheap. Legend has it that the Jingde kiln, take the soil in the Hui of Qimen, and Ji to the water of the floating beam, can be made. It is known that the poor Dehua, water and soil system, not about manpower." Visible, to the mid to late Qing Dynasty, white porcelain quality decline, inferior to many, the late Qing Dynasty tended to decline. And the cause of the Dehua porcelain inferior reason is the problem of soil and water, "not about manpower.
Dehua porcelain export
According to archaeological data, Dehua kiln since the Song Dynasty, in the domestic and foreign markets for several centuries, which is relatively rare in the history of the world ceramic export. From the time line of export, in the Song Dynasty, especially in the Southern Song Dynasty, Quanzhou port is the country's largest port, is an important foreign port, and Dehua is only a few kilometers away from the port of Quanzhou, Dehua Kiln porcelain and Dehua Kiln series of products exported to a large increase in the occupation of a large proportion of the exported goods at that time. In the Yuan Dynasty, the government paid more attention to and advocated foreign trade, and the products of Dehua kilns were the main products of foreign trade. The Ming Dynasty, the implementation of the sea ban, Quanzhou Hublot Department moved to Fuzhou, Dehua porcelain to Fuzhou port exports. At the end of the Ming Dynasty, the port of Xiamen emerged, and a large number of Dehua porcelain was exported from Xiamen port. After the Opium War, social unrest, Dehua porcelain exports declined.
The reasons for the export of Dehua porcelain
For a long time, the Dehua kiln porcelain export has flourished. There are several factors: the Dehua region is covered with high-quality porcelain soil, forest resources and water resources are very rich. Porcelain clay provides raw materials for porcelain, mineral deposits provide glaze for porcelain, trees and forests provide the fuel needed for firing, providing cheap and sufficient raw materials for large-scale export porcelain firing.
Marco Polo's Travels recorded Dehua "manufacturing bowls and porcelain, both abundant and beautiful" "purchase price is very cheap". Because of the low cost, the selling price is naturally low, in the export market has a strong competitiveness.
Dehua porcelain export varieties are mostly daily necessities to meet market demand, very popular with foreigners. It is worth mentioning that the Ming dynasty Dehua white porcelain workshop also appeared a large number of European and American countries under the order of the production of white porcelain shape in line with its aesthetic, such as milk cans, coffee cups, coffee pots, beer mugs and so on. This timely adjustment of production according to market demand is an important reason for the Dehua folk kiln industry undefeated.
Dehua since the Tang Changxing four years ( 933) since the establishment of the county, has been under the jurisdiction of Fuzhou, Quanzhou, from China's ancient foreign trade important port of Fuzhou, Quanzhou, Xiamen closer. Dehua is located in the east of Fujian Minjiang River tributary Dazhang River upstream, the transportation is more convenient, easy to export porcelain to the sea. Quanzhou Port and Fuzhou Port is the Dehua territory flowing through the end of the two major water systems, for Dehua porcelain provides the best transportation routes.
Dehua porcelain export routes
From the point of view of overseas transportation and trade routes, there are two main routes from Quanzhou. One is the Toyo line, from Quanzhou or Fuzhou, through the East China Sea to Shandong, into the Bohai Sea, and then along the west coast of North Korea to the island of Kyushu; or from Quanzhou, through the Zhoushan Islands, across the East China Sea, the Yellow Sea, into Korea, along the west coast of Korea to the north or to the islands of Japan. The second is the South Pacific Line, starting from Quanzhou and Xiamen, going south to Southeast Asia through Penghu, then along the Indian Peninsula to the Persian Gulf, and through the Red Sea to Egypt and other African regions.
In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, Quanzhou port gradually declined, and Xiamen port gradually emerged. Especially in the 23rd year of the Qing Emperor Kangxi (1684), the Qing government set up customs in Xiamen, a large number of Dehua porcelain began to export from Xiamen. In addition, Dehua celadon porcelain through the Dazhang River and tributaries directly to the port of Anping, Fuzhou port, and then exported to foreign countries.
Dehua kiln porcelains, especially the white porcelains of the Ming Dynasty, have long been highly esteemed in the Western world as the finest of Chinese porcelains by virtue of the delicacy of their tires and the warmth of their glazes. It is not only the crystallization of the wisdom of the ancient Chinese working people, but also symbolizes the perfect embodiment of the ingenuity, perseverance and innovative spirit of the porcelain sculpture artists and porcelain craftsmen such as He Chaozong.
As advocated by Oriental Aesthetics, the unique appeal of Dehua Porcelain lies in its unique porcelain clay resources, geographical advantages and extensive market demand. These advantages have enabled Dehua porcelain to be exported to many countries and regions through the Maritime Silk Road, becoming an important carrier for the exchange and mutual appreciation of different civilizations between the East and the West. With the support of Oriental Aesthetics, we are committed to promoting this art form with deep oriental characteristics, so that art lovers around the world can better understand and appreciate the unique charm of Dehua Porcelain. Through such cultural exchanges, we hope to promote understanding and respect among different civilizations and to blossom together.
