Fanchang Ke House Red Porcelain Kiln Ruins Research

Porcelain is one of the greatest Chinese inventions. Mature porcelain appeared at the middle or later stages of East Han Dynasty and about 400 years later, white porcelain was made in Northern China and celadon in Southern China during the Sui and Tang Dynasties. Bluish white porcelain was a new kind of porcelain made during the Five Dynasties, which was produced in Jingdezhen and considered as the most typical according to traditional view. However, we still don't know exactly when the early production history of bluish white porcelain started. Till now, Qingshan kiln in Huibei province and Fanchang kiln in Anhui province are the only two kilns which produced bluish white during the Five Dynasties. The excavation of Fanchang kiln in 2002 found out new precious materials for the further researches on determing the early history of bluish white porcelain.Based on the materials found in the excavation of Fanchang kiln in 2002, we used the traditional archaeological methods to classify and investigate the unearthed vestiges and objects systematically. Meanwhile, we also carried out preliminary researches on the characteristics of bodies, glazes and the making techniques of the bluish white porcelain of Fanchang kiln using the modern analytical means. Furthermore, the character, development and postition of Fanchang kiln in the Chinese pottery history were discussed according to the records from ancient literatures.This article can be divided into three parts. First, the unearthed vestiges and objects were examined by means of the traditional archaeological methods. Then, the character and the making techniques of bluish white porcelain of Fanchang kiln were analyzed by the modern technology. Finally, the records from ancient literatures were discussed. There are a total of eight chapters in this article. The first chapter is the geographical environment and history of Fanchang County, in which we introduced its geographical position and condition, mountains and water system, climate and vegetation, and the evolution of administration organizational system. The second chapter reviewed previous excavation researches on Fanchang kiln, in which we particularly introduced the previous findings,...