Ruins of Chaozhou Kilns at Bijia Mountain

Ruins of Chaozhou Kilns at Bijia Mountain

The Ruins of Chaozhou Kilns at Bijia Mountain is a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit.

The Song Dynasty kilns of Bijia Mountain are located in Xiangqiao, on the western foothills of Bijia Mountain east of the city. The ancient site stretches 2 kilometers from Tiger Head Mountain in the north to Seal Mountain in the south, with densely packed kiln remains. Even today, locals around the foot of Bijia Mountain still refer to the area as "Hundred Kiln Village."

The Bijia Mountain kiln complex was first established in the Tang Dynasty and flourished during the Song Dynasty. Its products were exported both domestically and internationally, making it one of China’s key ceramic export bases and earning it the title "Capital of Ceramics in Guangdong." The product range was extensive, including mainly daily-use vessels such as bowls, boxes, cups, lamps, stoves, cups, teapots, basins, beans, cauldrons, washbasins, pillows, and cosmetic containers, as well as craft ceramics like vases, figurines, and toys. The body of the ceramics was dense and uniquely crafted. The glaze colors were primarily shadow-blue, along with green, white, yellow, and soy-sauce brown glazes. The glaze was crystal-clear and lustrous, resembling silver or jade, with most pieces either uncracked or featuring only extremely fine fish-scale patterns. Decorative techniques mainly included incised designs, along with carving and openwork. New Zealand scholar Rewi Alley, after visiting an exhibition of ancient Chaozhou porcelain, excitedly remarked, "I’ve seen many ancient ceramics abroad, but their origin is here!" The Song Dynasty kilns of Bijia Mountain added a glorious chapter to ancient Sino-foreign cultural exchanges and to the civilization history of the Chinese nation.

Since 1953, the Guangdong Provincial Museum and cultural workers in Chaozhou have conducted multiple archaeological excavations of the Song Dynasty kiln site in coordination with infrastructure projects. Eleven kiln sites have been excavated, including both stepped dragon kilns and sloped dragon kilns. The longest, Kiln No. 10, has a remaining length of 78 meters and a width of about 3 meters. Except for the damaged kiln head and firing chamber, the kiln walls, tail, fireproof partition walls, and stepped beams are all well-preserved. In addition, a large number of ceramics were unearthed, including the first-class relic “Ma Gu Serving Wine,” toys such as little foreigners and puppies, and a Guanyin statue adorned with an eight-character mustache. Most valuable of all are inscriptions found on the pedestals of several Sakyamuni Buddha statues, bearing reign titles such as “Zhiping” and “Xining,” as well as the names of artisans like “Shui Dong Zhong Yao Jia” and “Craftsman Zhou Ming.”

The Ruins of the Song Dynasty Kilns at Bijia Mountain is an important base of China’s ceramic production, holding significant historical, artistic, and scientific value for studying the development of southern China’s ceramic industry.

In modern times, Chaozhou’s ceramic production bases have shifted to areas such as Fengxi, Guxiang, and Fengtang, as well as mountainous inland regions like Sanrao and Jiucun in Raoping. Chaozhou ceramics are especially renowned for their art ceramics, praised for being “white as jade, thin as paper, bright as a mirror, and resonant as a chime.” Innovations in the painting and glazing processes have also emerged, forming a Chaozhou style that is creatively refined, elegantly styled, with smooth lines, clear layers, rich colors, filled and gilded designs, subtle elegance, and divine charm. From the “Hundred Kiln Village” of the Song Dynasty at Bijia Mountain to the re-emergence of the Fengxi ceramic industry, it reflects the deep cultural foundation of Chaozhou and the splendid brilliance of its ceramic culture.

Legends about the Song Dynasty Kilns at Bijia Mountain:

Legend has it that in the Song Dynasty, there was an inherited kiln stoker in Hundred Kiln Village named Xu Wang, who was highly skilled in monitoring kiln temperatures. Initially hired by others to manage the firing process, he gradually saved up some money and built his own kiln. When the new kiln was lit, colorful flames soared into the sky, and auspicious clouds lingered for miles around Bijia Mountain. The villagers congratulated Xu Wang, saying it was a good omen. But despite the promising start, the outcome was disastrous. On the day the kiln was opened, they found that all the ceramics inside had shattered into fragments, causing Xu Wang to faint on the spot. A few days later, the couple dumped the broken pottery into the Han River. Once, Xu Wang’s wife noticed a vase among the discarded fragments that hadn’t been fished out in time and was washed away by the river. That night, Xu Wang said he had retrieved a vase from the bottom of the kiln, and his wife said it looked just like the one that had floated away, which puzzled them both. That night, the Kiln God appeared in Xu Wang’s dream and said that the Jade Emperor, moved by the couple’s diligence and kindness, had instructed the Kiln God to create a pair of male and female treasure vases to help them prosper. Unfortunately, the female vase had been thrown into the river by his wife. The Kiln God also said that on the sixth day of the sixth lunar month the following year, the treasure vase in the river would reveal itself, and not to forget to retrieve it. When the day came the next year, Xu Wang completely forgot. By coincidence, a red-haired foreign antique dealer from Chaozhou passed by Xiangzi Bridge and saw golden light emanating from the riverbed, suspecting a treasure lay beneath. He bought a bundle of red coir rope, tied it to a string of copper coins, and cast it toward the glowing spot in the river—and indeed hauled up a vase. The red-haired dealer realized it was the female treasure vase and knew there must be a male one. So he resolved to search door-to-door and village-to-village for the matching male vase. One day, the red-haired dealer entered Hundred Kiln Village and spotted the male treasure vase in Xu Wang’s home. Overjoyed, he took out a gold ingot and gestured wildly at the vase. Xu Wang refused to sell it no matter what, so the foreigner snatched the male vase and ran. Xu Wang chased him, shouting, “Catch the thief!” His cries drew a crowd, and everyone joined in the pursuit. They chased the thief all the way to Xima Bridge, where soldiers stationed there also joined the chase. Seeing he was cornered, the red-haired dealer, desperate to save his life, threw away the male vase. The female vase on his back slipped out of the sack and shattered together with the male vase. Out of the broken pieces flowed many gleaming bits. Upon closer inspection, everyone realized they were gold ingots. The soldiers at the front, greedy for the money, scrambled to pick up the gold, creating chaos—giving the red-haired dealer a chance to escape. Later, the area beyond Xima Bridge became known as Golden Pond Village.

Tips:

1. The Ruins of the Song Dynasty Kilns at Bijia Mountain are gradually disappearing due to natural causes and urban expansion.

2. Estimated visiting time is about 10 minutes. Ticket Information · Opening Hours

Admission: Free

–

Address: South Dongxing Street, Qiaodong, Chaozhou City (behind the former Starch Factory)

Transportation: Take Bus 3 or 10 and get off at Tangchang Station

Further Reading:

· Fifth Batch of National Key Cultural Relics Protection Units