The site of
the Longquan Kiln spreads across the Lishui area and its surrounding
counties, including Wuyi, Yongjia, Wencheng and Taishun in Zhejiang
Province.
The Longquan Kiln is one of the most famous
celadon kilns in southern ancient China. Kiln sites are densely distributed in
Longquan County (over 300). Sites containing porcelain of better quality are
concentrated in Dayao Village, which was regarded as the center of the Longquan
kilns. Hence, the kilns of that area are generally known as the Longquan
Kilns.
The Longquan Kiln is located in the upper reaches of the Ou
River in south Zhejiang Province. The county is abundant in porcelain, clay and
pinewood, which was used for baking porcelain.
The Longquan Kiln was implemented in the early Northern Song
Dynasty (960-1127) and reached its peak during late Southern Song Dynasty
(1127-1279). During the Northern Song and Southern Song period, the kiln mainly
produced daily commodities, such as plates, bowls and kettles. Such wares
adopted high techniques: enchasing flowers supplemented with dots and waves and
floating clouds. The glaze used on Longquan wares was thin and of a cyan hue
mixed with yellow.
During mid-Southern Song period, stoves, bottles and statues
appeared in various patterns. Most of the decorations consisted of carved
flowers, and the insides of bowls were adorned with cloud carvings. With its
thin, almost translucent glaze, the kiln's technique had its own
characteristics. Some of the most famous representatives include the pale,
blue-glazed and plum, green-glazed wares that were created during the late
Southern Song period. Wares from this period were rich in variety, including the
ones imitating jade or bronze wares.
Due to the popularity of large wares, it was during the Yuan
Dynasty (1271-1368) that the kiln's technique experienced a great breakthrough.
Following the mid-Ming (1368-1644) period, a large number of technicians moved
away from the Longquan Kiln due to the thriving porcelain industry around the
country, especially with the development of the porcelain capital, Jingdezhen,
which triggered the decline of the Longquan
Kiln.