陶瓷中国 第2集 读长沙铜官窑 Read the Changsha Tongguan Kiln

This summary provides an overview of the history, significance, and cultural impact of the Changsha Tongguan Kiln (also known as the Changsha Kiln or Wazhaping Kiln) during the Tang Dynasty.

Origins and Discovery

• Location: The kiln site is situated in Hunan, China, stretching along the Xiangjiang River from Tongguan Town to the Shizhu Lake area. It consists of three primary kiln areas: Tongguan Town, Gucheng, and Shizhu.
• Discovery: The site was largely revealed through archaeological surveys starting in the 1950s. Much of the site was historically damaged by local water conservancy projects, though local villagers—who referred to the area as "Wazhaping" due to the abundance of pottery shards—had been collecting fragments for years.
• Historical Context: The kiln emerged during the mid-Tang period and reached its peak in the late Tang, benefiting from the era’s economic prosperity and the southward shift of the nation's economic center following the An Lushan Rebellion.

Technological and Artistic Innovations

• Underglaze Painting: The Changsha Tongguan Kiln is credited as the birthplace of Chinese underglaze porcelain. Artisans painted patterns and poems directly onto the porcelain body before applying a transparent celadon glaze and firing it.
• Decorative Diversity: The kiln utilized a wide range of glazes (green, brown, soy, black, white, and red) and diverse artistic techniques, including molded appliqués, pattern painting, and figure painting.
• Integration of Art Forms: The kiln is noted for its "poetry on paintings" style, blending traditional Chinese calligraphy, painting, paper-cutting, and sculpture.
• Calligraphy: The porcelain features a variety of scripts, including early examples of what is now known as "Slender Gold Script," predating its traditional association with the Song Dynasty’s Emperor Huizong.

Cultural and Commercial Significance

• Poetry on Porcelain: Hundreds of poems have been found on Changsha porcelain. While many are not recorded in the official Complete Tang Poems, they provide a unique, sincere look at the lives, emotions, and love stories of ordinary people and artisans of the time.
• Commercial Awareness: Unlike more expensive luxury ceramics of the era, Changsha porcelain was produced for the daily use of common people, making it affordable and widely accessible.
• Maritime Silk Road: The kiln played a pivotal role in international trade. Due to advancements in shipbuilding and the Tang government's open-door policy, Changsha porcelain was exported to at least 29 countries and regions, including Southeast Asia, India, Persia, and Egypt.
• Global Influence: The porcelain served as a cultural envoy, carrying exotic motifs (such as Persian-style figures) and influencing the pottery styles of the regions where it was traded. Its ubiquity in shipwrecks and archaeological sites across Asia and the Middle East underscores its massive historical footprint.

Legacy

• Practicality and Art: The kiln’s output focused on everyday items—tea sets, wine sets, toys, and stationery—which helped spread Chinese tea and wine culture globally.
• Historical Decline: Despite its peak during the Tang Dynasty, the kiln eventually declined by the end of the Five Dynasties period. However, its contributions to ceramic technology and the development of the Maritime Silk Road remain a cornerstone of Chinese cultural history.