Xiaoxiantan Kiln Site (Xiaoxiantan Celadon Kiln Site)

Xiaoxiantan Kiln Site (Xiaoxiantan Celadon Kiln Site)

The Xiaoxiantan Kiln Site (Xiaoxiantan Celadon Kiln Site) is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Xiaoxiantan Kiln Site is located by the Cao’e River, 200 meters north of Shipu Village, Shangpu Town.

The Xiaoxiantan ceramic kiln site consists of three kiln sites: Xiaolü’ao, Xiaoxiantan, and Dayuanping. It is a densely distributed area of Eastern Han Dynasty kilns in Shangyu, spanning about 600 meters from east to west. The site covers an area of approximately 800 square meters, and the kilns are severely damaged. The products are well-made and of high quality. The main vessel shapes are bowls, along with pots, basins, and jars. The body is dense, with a grayish-white color, and the glaze is bluish-green. The surfaces are decorated with patterns such as comb, mat, wave, and string designs. Kiln furniture includes pads and flared supports.

The glaze of the Xiaoxiantan ceramic kiln site products has a strong luster. Scientific testing shows that the ceramic bodies are of high quality, fired at high temperatures, with low water absorption, well-sintered bodies, and high bending strength. These qualities meet the standards of mature celadon. The Xiaoxiantan Kiln Site is recognized as the earliest celadon kiln site discovered in the world to date, serving as a typical representative of mature celadon. As a result, the Cao’e River basin is considered by experts and scholars to be the main birthplace of celadon in China.

The Xiaoxiantan ceramic kiln site features both chronological succession and interconnection between periods, providing relatively abundant physical materials for studying the development from primitive pottery to mature porcelain during the Eastern Han Dynasty, as well as the origin and evolution of Chinese ceramics. In 2006, the Xiaoxiantan Kiln Site was included in the sixth batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units by the State Council as an ancient site from the Han Dynasty.

Location

Shipu Village, Shangpu Town, Shangyu City, Zhejiang Province

Further Reading:

· Sixth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units