Ancient Cizhou Kiln Site in Ningyang

Ancient Cizhou Kiln Site in Ningyang

The ancient Cizhou kiln site in Ningyang is a cultural relics protection unit of Shandong Province.

The ancient Cizhou kiln site is located in Cizhou Town, 35 kilometers east of Ningyang County, east of National Highway 104, and is a provincial-level key cultural relics protection unit. The kiln site stretches 1,500 meters from east to west and 100 meters from north to south. It was first established in the Tang Dynasty, flourished during the Five Dynasties and Song Dynasty, and was abandoned in the Yuan Dynasty. In 1985, joint excavations with Shandong University were carried out, revealing three semi-subterranean kilns, including two from the late Tang and Five Dynasties periods and one from the Northern Song Dynasty, as well as one workshop site and one Song Dynasty tomb. The Song Dynasty kiln features an intact structure and is the only known oval-shaped kiln in northern China, which is extremely rare in the world. For protection purposes, the excavated areas were reburied with sand after cleaning and organization. Plans include reconstructing imitation ancient buildings over the kilns, clearing the ancient kiln structures, collecting pottery tools, ceramics, samples, and photographic materials, and establishing a ceramic kiln exhibition hall.

The Western Cizhou Ancient Kiln Site is located 2 kilometers east of the ancient Cizhou kiln site. It originated in the Tang Dynasty and was abandoned in the Yuan Dynasty. Pottery shards and tools are found everywhere at the site, with accumulations of shards over two meters high. Unearthed kiln tools include saggars, firing supports, substrates, pads, pads, and triangular supports; production tools consist of molds, grinders, grinding grooves, and stone mortars; household items mainly include bowls, as well as jars and basins, along with various glazed figurines of people, Buddhas, and animal toys such as tigers, horses, dogs, turtles, and frogs. The ceramics feature vivid shapes and exquisite craftsmanship, fully demonstrating the advanced porcelain-making techniques of ancient China. It is now a provincial-level cultural relics protection unit. Plans include further excavation and organization, as well as building a museum for display.

Cizhou Town: Cizhou Town is located in the central-eastern part of Ningyang County, stretching 16 kilometers from north to south and 8.5 kilometers from east to west, covering a total area of 128 square kilometers, accounting for 10.9% of the county’s total area. The terrain is higher in the south and lower in the north, with hills occupying 46% of the total area. The arable land area is 82,000 mu. The town administers 81 administrative villages with a total population of 93,000. In 2003, the total industrial and agricultural output value of the town was 680 million yuan, and the per capita net income was 4,206 yuan.

Cizhou Town enjoys a superior geographical location and convenient transportation. The Beijing-Shanghai Railway and the Beijing-Fuzhou Expressway run from north to south through the town, and the Cilai Railway originates from the town center, with stations... More details about Cizhou Town++

Further Reading:

· First Batch of Shandong Provincial Cultural Relics Protection Units