Cizhen Porcelain Kiln Site

Cizhen Porcelain Kiln Site

The Cizhen Porcelain Kiln Site is a national key cultural relics protection unit.

The ancient Cizhen porcelain kiln site is located in Cizhen Village, Cizhen Town, Zichuan District, Zibo City. It dates back to the Tang to Yuan dynasties. On December 7, 2006, the Cizhen ancient porcelain kiln site was designated as part of the third batch of provincial-level cultural heritage protection units by the Shandong Provincial People's Government.

The ancient Cizhen porcelain kiln site includes three kiln areas: the North-South Kiln Depression Area, the Apple Garden Area, and the Huayan Temple Area.

(1) The North-South Kiln Depression Area is located about 0.5 kilometers east of the village, covering an area of approximately 150,000 square meters. In 1976, the editorial team of the "Zibo Ceramics History" excavated 12 kilns in the northern part of the site, collecting a large number of samples. Based on vessel shapes and glaze characteristics, these can be divided into early, middle, and late periods. The early period mainly featured black glaze, followed by celadon, soy sauce, and tea dust glazes, all with relatively pure colors. Common vessels included bowls, basins, and bottles. The middle period was dominated by white glaze, with some celadon and protective body glazes applied; the whiteness was not high. The body was mostly red, followed by gray, with very little white. Decoration often included white glaze with green speckles, mostly applied near the rim of bowl interiors. The most frequently unearthed items were bowls, followed by bowls, jars, and bottles. The late period was primarily white-glazed, with black glaze rarely seen. New decorative techniques such as incised and carved designs appeared, and unearthed items included bowls, jars, plates, and bottles. Judging from the vessel shapes, glazes, and craftsmanship, the North-South Kiln Depression Area is believed to date from the late Tang to the Northern Song dynasty.

(2) The Apple Garden Area is located in the southern part of Cizhen, with the surviving kiln site covering an area of 20,000 square meters. The surface is scattered with many ceramic fragments, mostly black-glazed, followed by celadon and soy sauce glazes, none of which are pure in color. The body is thick, in hues of jar-red, white, and gray. Vessel types mainly include bowls, plates, and jars. This area is estimated to date back to the Tang dynasty.

(3) The Huayan Temple Area is located in the southern part of Cizhen, covering an area of 16,000 square meters.

Cultural History

In 1976, the editorial team of the "Zibo Ceramics History" conducted excavations at the site, uncovering two coal-fired kilns, one material pool, one workshop site, and collecting a large number of ceramic fragment samples. The glazes were predominantly white, followed by black, soy sauce, and yellow. The white glaze had a very high degree of whiteness and a smooth finish. The body was also white, thin, and even. The craftsmanship was neat, with refined and diverse decorations including incised patterns, carved designs, bamboo textures, black-on-white motifs, colored additions, and twisted-body pottery. Vessels included bowls, jars, basins, cups, and plates, with bowls being the most common. The site dates back to the Jin dynasty. In 1984, the Cizhen ancient porcelain kiln site was designated as a municipal-level key cultural heritage protection unit. In May 2013, it was approved and announced by the State Council as part of the seventh batch of national key cultural relics protection units.

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Further Reading:

· Third Batch of Shandong Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units

· Seventh Batch of National Key Cultural Heritage Protection Units