Wapian Beach Celadon Kiln Site

Wapian Beach Celadon Kiln Site

The Wapian Beach Celadon Kiln Site is a protected cultural heritage site of Cixi City.

The Wapian Beach Celadon Kiln Site is located under the Dongshuxia trees in Changlong Village, Kuangyan Town, Cixi City, approximately 2 kilometers east of Shanglin Lake. The site features abundant accumulations of kiln remains scattered over a wide area, with ceramic shards littering the ground—hence the name "Wapian Beach" (Tile Shard Beach). It was discovered during the 1982 cultural relics survey and was designated as part of the third batch of cultural heritage protection units by the Cixi County People's Government in August 1986.

The surface of the kiln site is scattered with ceramic shards across an area of 4,800 square meters, with stratified accumulations reaching a thickness of 1.7 meters. Judging from the collected samples, the kiln was active from the Five Dynasties period to the Northern Song Dynasty. The products are diverse, exquisitely crafted, elegantly shaped, and unconventional. Artifacts include bowls, jars, pots, bowls, plates, basins, washbasins, cups, boxes, lamps, and more. Bowls come in various forms such as open-mouthed with slanted sides and ring feet, flared-rim with arched sides and ring feet, curved-mouthed with slanted sides and ring feet, and straight-mouthed with deep sides and ring feet. Plates include sunflower-rimmed flat-bottomed plates, open-mouthed flat-bottomed plates, flared-mouthed flat-bottomed plates, curved-mouthed with ring feet and outward-flaring rims, open-mouthed with ring feet and outward-flaring rims, open-mouthed with shallow ring feet, and flat-footed plates. The body is grayish-white, fine, and dense. The glaze colors are predominantly bluish-yellow, followed by bluish-green and bluish-gray, with uniform glaze layers, good transparency, and a glossy, lustrous finish. Surface decorations are primarily plain, with carved patterns as a secondary feature. Designs are mainly found on the inner bottoms of vessels, as well as on the inner and outer walls and rims. Patterns include symmetrical double-butterfly motifs, double-phoenix designs, parrot patterns, aquatic plant motifs, wave patterns, floral-and-bird designs, lotus patterns, scrolling vine patterns, cloud motifs, dragon patterns, and relief lotus petal designs. The decorative themes are rich and varied, with fine, fluid, and dynamic lines, balanced spacing, clear layering, vivid imagery, and poetic charm. Kiln tools include sandy refractory saggars and spacer rings. Some bowl bases are inscribed with characters such as "Cen Ji Shi Di," "Hu," "Taiping Wu Yin," and "Shang."

Judging from the product shapes, body materials, glaze colors, decorative patterns, and firing techniques, the artifacts unearthed at the Wapian Beach Kiln Site are identical to those from the Five Dynasties and Northern Song Dynasty kilns at Shanglin Lake. During the investigation, items were also found that match exactly with celadon ware from the tombs of the Qian family of the Wuyue Kingdom, small sunflower-rimmed celadon bowls from the tomb of the Khitan Mu Zong’s imperial son-in-law in Dayingzi Village, Chifeng, and six-curved petal-shaped celadon bowls with double-butterfly motifs on the inner bottoms from the joint burial tomb of the Khitan Princess Chen Guo and her imperial son-in-law. This confirms that this site was a production center for "tribute porcelain" from the Five Dynasties period to the Northern Song Dynasty.