Qilizhen Kiln Site

　　The site is located in Qili Village, Shuidong Town, in the eastern suburbs of Ganzhou, Jiangxi. The kiln site spans an area approximately one kilometer wide from east to west, featuring sixteen kiln remains with a total area of over 3,000 square meters. It is currently the largest and longest-producing ancient kiln site from the Song and Yuan dynasties discovered in southern Jiangxi. Kiln production began in the late Tang Dynasty, flourished during the Song Dynasty, and ended in the Yuan Dynasty, spanning a history of more than 300 years. Products include celadon-glazed, white-glazed, qingbai (bluish-white) glazed, and black-glazed varieties. Celadon ware features fine and solid body material, a dull gray body color, a crabshell-green glaze with fine crackles and sand particles. White and qingbai porcelain have delicate bodies and high firing temperatures, producing a crisp sound when tapped; their thick, milky-white glaze has a glossy and translucent finish. Black-glazed wares are more varied, including black-glaze, soy-red, soy-brown, dark-tea, and black-glazed kiln transformation glazes. However, truly glossy black-glazed pieces are rare, and patterns such as kiln rabbit-hair and tortoiseshell are not very successful; the body is dark red or purplish-gray. The Qilizhen Kiln mainly produced daily-use items such as bowls, plates, cups, saucers, jars, bowls, and teapots, with some items intended for export. The vessels are generally thick-bodied, mostly with solid ring feet, and the glaze does not extend to the base, leaving the foot unglazed. In May 2013, it was designated and announced by the State Council as part of the seventh batch of Major National Historical and Cultural Sites.