Archaeological Research On Changsha Kiln's Porcelain Economy In Tang Dynasty

As major porcelains exported abroad in the 8th-9th century,Changsha ware remain vital study significance.However,current researches on Changsha ware intensively concentrate on its craft and the porcelain itself while the porcelain industry of it are often ignored.Economic history of porcelain is an indispensable part in Chinese ancient economic history.Technological,economic and art history of porcelain should be integrated into the complete research history of Changsha ware.China's porcelain industry had a wide distribution domestically in ancient times,however,except for records handed from some official kilns,detailed documentary on folk porcelain handicraft before the Song Dynasty(960-1279)are rather insufficient because of the embraced economic policy that stresses agriculture and restrains commerce in ancient China.Therefore,archaeological methods are utilized in the study of most kiln sites,among which the ancient ones that had underwent archaeological investigation,prospection and excavation has become the main objects for the study on ancient porcelain handicraft industry.The study on porcelain industry of Changsha kilns should be based on archaeology.Analyzed are its production organization,sales territory at home and abroad and its industry development,which will help us understand the conditions of the industry.The study target of this paper is the porcelain industry of Changsha kilns.This paper is divided into six parts to further discuss its porcelain industry development.The first part serves as an introduction,which discusses the significance of this topic and research status,methods,innovation and inadequacies of Changsha kilns both at home and abroad by document analysis.The second part discusses the general conditions of Changsha kilns.This part is an introduction to its history,location,and the origin of its name;its historical significance is illustrated by historical documentary material,reports on archaeological excavation and museum collections.The third part represents the study on the development background of Changsha kilns' porcelain industry.In this part,the development background of it and the influence for further development will be illustrated by researches on socioeconomic situation,population,revenue,trade policies,porcelain technology and cultural communication back to Tang Dynasty(618-907).The forth part focuses on the Changsha kilns' porcelain industry development amid researches on its means of production,organization of production and some factors that post effect on it.Raw material,fuel and water resources are included in the range of production factors;and the production organization of the kiln contains the scale of it,product yield,production mode,systematic administration,technical division of labour and porcelain customization.The fifth part analyses the sales of Changsha kilns at home and abroad as well as its sales line through documentary material and report on archaeological excavation and salvage.The sixth part focuses on Changsha ware's production and sales volume,production value and trade at home and abroad;economic benefits and profits of Changsha kilns' porcelain industry;influence posted by its development,so as to probes into the impact from the development of porcelain industry on porcelain production and sales areas and on social economy in Hunan Province at that time.The epilogue serves as a summary of the main ideas and contents of this paper.