Zibo Ceramic Firing Craftsmanship
01 · Historical Records
More than 8,500 years ago, the ancient pottery kiln of the Houli-culture period is the earliest ancient pottery kiln discovered in our country to date, along with more than a dozen ancient kiln sites such as the 'Zhaili kiln' of the Northern Dynasties period and the 'Cicun kiln' and 'Boshan kiln' of the Tang and Song periods.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Zibo City is one of the birthplaces of Chinese ceramics and a 'Famous Ceramic City of China' as named by the state. Archaeological finds show that the Bianbiandong cave in Yiyuan, Zibo, is an early Neolithic dwelling site and pottery-making site of humans. Zibo ceramics make full use of local ceramic resources to create a richly colorful ceramic culture, and in craftsmanship have formed a style that is bold and unconstrained yet succinct and bright. Zibo ceramics cover a wide range of subjects, from daily-use wares to display pieces to garden and architectural porcelain, reflecting in one respect the social, economic, and cultural background and appearance of the central Shandong region at the time. With the development of modern industry, the traditional Zibo ceramic-firing craft also faces the impact of mechanization and high technology.
Firing in the round mantou kiln
The principal kiln of Zibo, whose body is shaped like a steamed bun, shares firebox and chamber and holds a limited load judged entirely by eye.
Zaili, Cicun and Boshan kiln sites
Kilns from the Northern dynasty through Tang and Song at Zaili, Cicun and Boshan form the local lineage from early pottery to mature porcelain.
The Bianbiandong pottery site at Yiyuan
Both a Neolithic dwelling and a pottery-making site, it supplies the archaeological basis for treating Zibo as a cradle of Chinese ceramics.
The bold, open-cast glaze and form
Zibo ware takes a bold, plain and lively line, from household pots to display pieces and garden architecture, with the open air of the central Shandong hills.
From household wares to architectural porcelain
Under one firing tradition the output ranges from daily wares to display pieces and architectural porcelain, mirroring life in central Shandong.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Zibo's ancient kiln sites are distributed at multiple points within its territory: the Zhaili kiln already existed in the Northern Dynasties, and the Cicun and Boshan kilns rose in succession during the Tang and Song; the early-Neolithic Bianbiandong site in Yiyuan pushes the starting point of pottery-making back into dwelling remains. Since modern times the kiln yards have mostly concentrated toward Boshan and Zichuan, while the urban area mass-produces daily-use wares fired in round kilns. What is carried on today by Zibo Taishan Ceramics Co., Ltd. is precisely this local craft, drawing on the pottery clay and fuel conditions within the territory, with products ranging from daily-use wares to the two major categories of display pieces and garden-architectural porcelain. The name 'round kiln' comes from the kiln's shape: the chamber narrows at the top and bulges at the bottom, looking from afar like an inverted steamed bun, a name that at a glance distinguishes the kiln type from ordinary dwellings. Ancient kiln sites line up one after another within the territory, showing that the kiln fire of this area was never truly extinguished; the scale of today's urban daily-use porcelain is precisely the continuation of firing along this old kiln vein.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
In the 1980s, marked by the gradual withdrawal of Zibo ceramics' century-old round kiln (colloquially the 'steamed-bun kiln'), the traditional ceramic-firing craft also faced a situation in which old artisans retired and passed away one after another and the hand-making skill stood on the brink of being lost, urgently requiring comprehensive protection and transmission. In the 1980s, marked by the round kiln's exit from production, this firing method that had continued for centuries took its curtain call from Zibo's daily production; after the old artisans retired and passed away one after another, those who could independently master the round kiln's fire paths and loading-firing techniques became quite few. Today, as Zibo's industry upgrade under the name of Chinese ceramics continuously introduces mechanization and new technology, the fire-timing experience of the round kiln needs all the more to be preserved as a specialized skill.
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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