Zhongchenhao Kiln Site

　　  The northern part of the kiln site is connected to the mountain foothills that extend from Diaotai and Zhuoshan, while the southern area features undulating hills. There are nearby coal mines rich in porcelain clay. The Panlong River flows from north to south through the village. The area of the ceramic kiln site is quite large, spanning approximately four to five square kilometers. Many ancient ceramic shards are scattered across the fields and along the riverbanks, easily found everywhere. The entire village is built upon the ruins of ancient handicraft workshops. Beneath the ground surface within the village, at depths of over three meters, are layers of ceramic fragments from different historical periods. Over the years, villagers have discovered thousands of intact ceramics while plowing fields and digging irrigation channels — including everyday utensils as well as exquisitely shaped toys. The Zhongchenhao ancient ceramic kiln site can be divided into three major zones: the celadon zone lies eastward beyond the Panlong River where it exits the village. Both banks of the riverbed are scattered with numerous celadon shards and kiln tools, extending all the way to the southern parts of Beichenhao and Zhangling Villages. There are many kiln remains in the fields, with soils appearing in black and red hues, and ancient ceramic shards visible throughout the topsoil layer. In some sections along the riverbanks, the piles of ceramic shards reach heights of up to three meters. Among the fragments, celadon-glazed pieces are the most common, though yellow-glazed, soy sauce-glazed, and those adorned with brown splashed designs can also occasionally be seen.

　　  In 1987, an excavation was carried out in the celadon zone north of the village. The cultural deposits were divided into six layers, each with varying soil types, colors, and artifacts, which could be classified into four distinct periods. The first period dates back to the late Northern Dynasties; the second to the Sui Dynasty; the third to the Tang and Five Dynasties periods; and the fourth to the Northern Song Dynasty. This indicates the remarkably long time span of the site’s usage. Based on the excavated relics, they can be categorized into three main types: kiln tools, ceramics, and bronze ware. Kiln tools mainly include three-legged spurs, cylindrical supports, irregularly shaped supports, pillars, stands, saggers, spacer rings, five-toothed supports, hoof-shaped core molds, spacer cakes, spacer nails, and spacer plates. Ceramics comprise bowls, figurines of Hu people, jars, basins, plates, bowls, cups, spouted ewers, high-footed plates, lids, teapots, water containers, lamps, xun flutes, and inkstones. Bronze items mainly consist of Sui Dynasty wuzhu coins, bronze mirrors, and Northern Song Dynasty copper coins.

　　  During this archaeological excavation, an important set of structures was also discovered in the celadon zone, including a material pool, kiln furnaces, and ash pits. The material pool has a rectangular floor plan, with its bottom still preserving a 3 cm thick layer of porcelain clay. Two Sui Dynasty kiln furnaces were found, both with irregular oval floor plans, consisting of flues, kiln doors, fire chambers, ash discharge channels, central pillars, kiln beds, and chimneys. Sui Dynasty kiln furnaces are rarely found in northern China, and this discovery in Shandong marks the first of its kind. This ancient kiln furnace, dating back over 1,300 years, provides extremely valuable information for the study of ancient kiln structures and ceramic firing techniques in China. Four ash pits from the Tang Dynasty were also unearthed, yielding a large number of restorable kiln tools and ceramics.

　　  The numerous ceramics discovered in the celadon zone north of Zhongchenhao Kiln Site Village feature simple and solemn shapes, primarily designed for practical use. Their glaze color is a greenish shade, durable and sturdy. In the past, scholars studying the history of ceramic development often adhered to the notion of “celadon in the south, white porcelain in the north,” believing that celadon was produced in the south and white porcelain in the north before the Sui and Tang Dynasties. The large quantity of celadon ware found at Zhongchenhao indicates that Zaozhuang had already begun producing celadon before the Sui and Tang Dynasties.

　　  In 2006, the Zhongchenhao Kiln Site was listed by the State Council as a part of the sixth batch of Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level, recognized as an ancient heritage site dating from the Northern and Southern Dynasties to the Qing Dynasty.