A Glimpse Of Southern Song Longquan Kiln Porcelain Figurines In Zhejiang Museum Collection

Celadon or green porcelain has been a much prized variety in ceramic production since the ancient China.During the Southern Song Dynasty,celadon pieces of various kinds were turned out in Longquan of Zhejiang.Largely made up of household wares and appearing mostly in powder blue or plum green,they feature a rich and jade-like glaze,showcasing the highly developed firing technology of the times.In 1960,a group of celadon Taoist figurines were unearthed in the Southern Song stack layer of Longquan Kiln ruins near Dayao Village in Longquan.Until today,Taoist figures from the Song's kiln are few and far between.Therefore,those figures,which fuse the Taoist culture of the ancient dynasty and celadon moulding craft,serve to shed light on our understanding of local Taoist ceramic arts during the period.It is on the basis of the finding that this paper focuses its research.Fashioning after the characters from the popular legend of Eight Immortals,the figures exhibit a strong artistic appeal with their vivid expressions and striking details under rich glaze.Reflecting the cultural and secular aesthetic style of the era,they are the best witness to the porcelain molding art of the Southern Song.The craft skills and distinctive artistic features,representing the achievement of the famed Kiln in those days,are of great significance to the study on contemporary ceramic moulding arts.