The Niu's Ridge Kiln Site

The Niu's Ridge Kiln Site

The Niu's Ridge Kiln Site is located on the slopes of Niu's Ridge, less than 1 kilometer south of the Wan Yao Wu Kiln Site, with a row of plain dormitory buildings from the Maple Tree Mountain Forest Farm in front. Although this kiln site has not been excavated or cleared, the exposed shards and kiln tools on the ground indicate that not only is the distribution of kilns extensive here, but the accumulation is also thick. The surface mainly features mid-to-late Tang Dynasty celadon ware, characterized by bright glaze colors with a yellowish tint over the green, bearing distinct features of the Changsha Kiln and Hongzhou Kiln celadon. Bowls and plates from this period were produced using the spur stacking firing technique. During firing, a support column was placed at the bottom first, then several spurs were attached to the foot walls of the bowls, which were then placed flat on the support column. Bowl blanks were stacked vertically with spacers in between from the bottom up before being fired in the kiln. Since the products were fired exposed in the kiln, both the foot walls and interiors of the vessels bear spur marks. Typically, there were 5 to 8 spurs, fewer than the 9 or more used in the Five Dynasties period. Moreover, Tang Dynasty spurs were round in shape, while those from the Five Dynasties were elongated. The unearthed vessels had larger bases, all unglazed, mainly divided into ring feet and flat bottoms. Among them, the ring feet had relatively thick walls, similar to the popular jade-ring feet of the Tang Dynasty; the flat bottoms were solid and concave. Furthermore, the unearthed relics share similar characteristics with the porcelain samples found at the Wan Yao Wu Kiln Site, so it can be preliminarily inferred that this is also an ancient celadon kiln site dating back to the mid-to-late Tang Dynasty. Due to its location within dense pine forests and being rarely visited by people, the site remains well-preserved. The unearthed relics are introduced as follows:

Celadon Bowl: With a flared lip, sloping body, clear lathe marks on the inner wall, a flat base, and a disc-shaped foot. The glaze is yellowish celadon, not covering the base. Produced using the spur stacking firing method.

Celadon Ewer: With a flared mouth, short spout positioned near the shoulder close to the neck, bulbous body, flat base, and glaze colors ranging from grayish-celadon to yellowish-celadon.

Jar Lid: Hat-shaped, with a small crescent knob attached to the top, coated with thin grayish-celadon glaze. This jar is suspected to have been a tea caddy.

Milling Wheel: Circular, with a central circular hole for inserting an axle, allowing the wheel to be turned by hand for grinding tea.

Support Column: Cylindrical, slightly tapered in the middle, approximately 25–30 cm in height, with a rough surface, serving as a support tool in the stacking firing process.

Lantian Village: Historically, Lantian Village has always been part of Xianghu Town, one of the “Four Historic Famous Streets” of Fuliang County. During the Tang Dynasty, the ancestors of Lantian built kilns against the mountains to produce celadon ware and were also known for abundant tea production. By the Song Dynasty, the area around Lantian Village flourished with “kiln fires in every village and pottery-making in every household.” In the early Ming Dynasty, the Li family migrated here from Qimen County, Anhui, and established the settlement called Lijia. By the late Ming Dynasty, Lijia Village prospered, with merchant ships often docking there, turning it into a bustling commercial port for goods distribution, hence renamed Lijia Port. Lijia Port is now the site of the current Lantian Village Committee. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, this area belonged to Xiayihé and Shangchangyuan under Shou’an Township, Fuliang County... More detailed information about Lantian Village ++