A Research On Daily Ceramic Design Based On Changsha Kiln

Changsha Kiln is a celebrated kiln in Tang Dynasty. With its characteristic under-glazed multi-coloration, poetical and calligraphic decoration as well as its localized design strategy catering for oversea needs, Changsha Kiln broke the established balance of ceramic production, in which white porcelain had ruled China’s north and celadon porcelain the south. Despite of its short history (seeing its heyday in Tang Dynasty, and on the wane in Five Dynasties), Changsha Kiln contributes much to the progress of ceramics, and thus, its culture has become a significant part of Chinese regional culture.However, how to preserve and develop Changsha Kiln regional culture, nowadays, is an issue worth of study. The current approaches include: government’s funding on the establishment of Changsha Kiln Relic Park, antique display of the Changsha Kiln ware in museums, the few skilled craftsmen reproducing Changsha Kiln ware as gift or souvenir, and scholars’academic research on, and publication of Changsha Kiln, and so forth. It has to be pointed, however, that such researches are mainly focused on the artistic values, economic and technical attributes, and so forth, of Changsha Kiln, thus provide few solutions to the issue mentioned above.The innovation of this thesis lies in that, the solution to the issue-how to preserve and develop Changsha Kiln regional culture nowadays, is provided by a research on daily ceramic design practice based on Changsha Kiln. This paper begins with an analysis on the characteristics of Changsha Kiln, namely,“What is the essence of Changsha Kiln”by way of field study and literature survey. Next is an analysis on the approaches of innovation in varied globally recognized ceramic brands through a FCMU (Form-Content-Material-Use) research model. Further, approaches on how to extract design elements from traditional cultures have been discussed as well. Finally, the paper presents the practice of daily ceramic design based on Changsha Kiln, including brand naming, logo, package and product design. All these may serve to rejuvenate Changsha Kiln ware to daily use, and free it from awkward reproduction and the state of mere museum antique-display.