Xishan Celadon Kiln Site Cluster

Xishan Celadon Kiln Site Cluster

The Xishan Celadon Kiln Site Cluster is a cultural heritage site protected at the municipal level in Wenzhou.

The Xishan Kiln Site Cluster is located at the eastern and northern foothills of Jinshan Mountain on the western side of Wenzhou’s urban area (Jinshan is called “Xishan” or “West Mountain” because it lies to the west of the old city), spanning both Lucheng and Ouhai districts. The area includes four relatively concentrated kiln distribution zones: Huguo Ridge, Wuyan Temple, Xiaoshan’er, and Zhenghetang, among which Wuyan Temple, Xiaoshan’er, and Zhenghetang are situated in Lucheng District. In 1986, the Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology and the Wenzhou Cultural Relics Office jointly conducted a survey and rescue excavation of the Xishan Kilns. Subsequent investigations have confirmed that this kiln site cluster represents typical Ou Kiln sites from the late Tang Dynasty to the Song Dynasty. The products generally feature fine white or slightly bluish-gray bodies, covered with light bluish glaze that is even and glossy. Major vessel types include bowls, plates, cups, bowls (bowls), jars, pots, and lids. Bowls and plates are often undecorated, while pots and jars frequently feature decorative elements such as incised, carved, applied, or pierced designs. Common decorative motifs include lotus petals (upright and inverted), peonies, banana leaves, cloud patterns, S-shaped curves, and short-line patterns. Kiln furniture includes bowl-shaped and concave-bottom saggars, as well as supports such as clay dots, spacer cakes, rings, and yoke-shaped props, along with grinding wheels. Bowls, plates, and cups were often stacked and fired in open flame, whereas pots, jars, and cups with finely decorated surfaces were typically fired in saggars. Among them, the Zhenghetang kiln site is noted for higher-quality products. On June 11, 1981, the Wenzhou Municipal People’s Government designated the Xishan Celadon Kiln Site Cluster as one of the first batch of municipal-level cultural heritage protection units.

Protection Level: County (City/District)-Level Cultural Heritage Protection Unit

Time Period: Late Tang Dynasty to Early Northern Song Dynasty

Designation Date: June 11, 1981

Category: Ancient Ruins

Protected Area: Starting from the southern foot of Jinshan Mountain (east of the Xishui Water Plant), passing the foot of Huguo Ridge, and extending north to Laoyashan Mountain (north of the Wenzhou Military Division Hospital). Within this section, the boundary extends 15 meters upward and downward along the natural mountain foothill line. From the foot of Xiaqiao Ridge in the east to the foot of Sanzhizitou Mountain in the west (the latter being about 500 meters east of the Xiaqiao Ridge foot), the boundary follows the mountain foothill line, extending up to the ridge and outward down to 80 meters.

Construction Control Zone: Starting from Jingshui in the south to the mountain foot 300 meters west of Zhenghetang at Xiaqiao in the north. Along this line, the boundary extends up to the ridge and outward down to 100 meters.