Shangyu Yaosiqian Ancient Kiln Site

Shangyu Yaosiqian Ancient Kiln Site

The Shangyu Yaosiqian Ancient Kiln Site is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Zhejiang Province.

The Yaosiqian Ancient Kiln Site is located in Jiazhàng Village, Shangpu Town, Shangyu City. The main body of the kiln cluster is distributed on a hill, with the entire low hill covered in porcelain shards. It is surrounded by farmland on all sides, with a mountain just beyond the fields to the west, where porcelain fragments can also be found near the foothills. The natural environment around the Yaosiqian Kiln Site indicates that the hilly area was rich in fuel resources, providing ample fuel for kiln firing. The surrounding area is crisscrossed by streams, offering relatively abundant water resources suitable for operating water-powered trip hammers, which helped improve the efficiency of porcelain production. The site is also rich in kaolin clay deposits, with substantial reserves nearby. Not far from the Yaosiqian Kiln Site lies Yao Lake, which, according to legend, was formed due to extensive excavation of kaolin. The lake is traversed by the Cao’e River, a major waterway for water transport in Shangyu. A large quantity of tribute and commercial porcelain produced at the Yaosiqian Kiln Site was continuously transported to domestic and overseas markets via the Cao’e River, contributing material wealth to the economic prosperity of the Wuyue Kingdom. The Yaosiqian Kiln Site is part of an ancient kiln cluster, with kiln remains mainly located around Yaosiqian Village, particularly on the slopes of Temple Mountain, A’qian Mountain, Daoist Mountain, Pillar Mountain, and Pan’kou Bay. The gentle slopes of these hills are where the kiln sites are situated. Scattered across their foothills are numerous porcelain shards, easily found everywhere. The Yaosiqian Kiln Site was in operation no later than the Southern Dynasties, flourished through the Tang Dynasty, and rapidly developed during the Five Dynasties period, eventually becoming one of the kilns producing tribute porcelain for the Qian family of the Wuyue Kingdom. After the mid-Northern Song Dynasty, the site gradually declined and ceased production. The Yaosiqian Kiln had a long production history, large scale, diverse product types, varied decorative patterns, and abundant accumulated shards. The Yaosiqian Kiln Site largely reflects the basic conditions of Yue ware production from the Southern Dynasties to the Song Dynasty, making it a valuable physical resource for studying the development history of the Yue Kiln.

Location

Jiazhàng Village, Shangpu Town, Shangyu City, Zhejiang Province

Shangpu Town: The Home of Celadon — Shangpu Shangpu Town is located in the southwest of Shangyu, Zhejiang, with the Cao’e River, National Highway 104, and the Shangsan Expressway running through it. The town covers an area of 86.6 square kilometers, governs 13 administrative villages and 1 neighborhood committee, and has a population of 25,000. It has 21,974 mu of arable land, 64,305 mu of forested land, and 3,163 mu of water areas, making it a picturesque Jiangnan land of fish and rice with fertile plains and abundant produce. In 2005, the town achieved a gross domestic product of 710 million yuan, fiscal revenue of 38 million yuan, and an average rural per capita income of 8,400 yuan… More detailed information about Shangpu Town++

Further Reading:

· Second Batch of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units