Site of the Cuiping Mountain Kiln

Site of the Cuiping Mountain Kiln

The Cuiping Mountain Kiln Site is a cultural heritage conservation unit of Jiangsu Province.

Cuiping Mountain is located in the eastern suburbs of Xuzhou. Amid the overgrown weeds and shrubs at the southeastern foot of the mountain, remnants of several ancient kilns can still be found. Villagers here say that in the 1950s, discarded kiln tools could be seen everywhere along the roadsides and at the bottoms of ditches. Most of these tools were supports, brown in color, and came in trumpet-shaped, waist-tapered trumpet-shaped, and inverted-basin forms. Some supports even had bottoms, with one or two centimeter-sized air holes left on their bellies. The supports were all hollow, with diameters reaching up to 15 centimeters, and varied in height, indicating they were used to support vessels of different sizes and weights. The presence of such supports shows an advancement in firing techniques.

From pottery fragments, it can be observed that the main items fired here included jars, pots, and cauldrons. The pottery fragments are very hard and dense, coated with black lead glaze, with some showing glaze drips. The decorations on the pottery already featured spiral patterns and stripes. Notably, the knobs on the pottery were exceptionally beautifully crafted, uniquely shaped like butterflies and adorned with patterns, demonstrating the skilled craftsmanship of the artisans.

Experts have analyzed that the Cuiping Mountain Kiln belonged to the primitive celadon of the Western Han Dynasty, dating back more than 2,000 years, making it the earliest kiln site discovered in Xuzhou to date. Built along the mountain terrain, it covered an area of over a hundred square meters. Due to its age and long-term exposure and damage, we can no longer see the kiln’s original appearance in its entirety. However, its discovery has helped identify the origin of many primitive celadon artifacts unearthed in Xuzhou.

On December 19, 2011, the People's Government of Jiangsu Province designated it as part of the seventh batch of provincial-level cultural heritage conservation units.

Further Reading:

· Seventh Batch of Jiangsu Provincial Cultural Heritage Conservation Units