Sites of Cizao Kilns (Jinjiaoyishan Kilns)

2021-07-19 16:19:30

Sites of Cizao Kilns (Jinjiaoyishan Kilns)

Sites of Cizao Kilns (Jinjiaoyishan Kilns)

The Sites of Cizao Kilns (Jinjiaoyishan Kilns) are outstanding examples of the export-porcelain kiln sites that dotted the outskirts of Quanzhou in the Song-Yuan era. They demonstrate the prominence of craft production for exportation in the industrial structure of Quanzhou as the emporium of the world in Song-Yuan China. The system and scope of production seen in these kilns stand testament to ancient Quanzhou’s remarkable capacity for production and overseas maritime trade. Along with the Sites of Dehua Kilns and Xiacaopu Iron Production Site of Qingyang Village in Anxi, it shows the strong capacity of Quanzhou’s basic industries and its formidable export trade capacity during the Song and Yuan periods. Cizao Kilns are located in Cizao Town, 16 kilometers southwest of Quanzhou City. The area, part of the foothills of Zimao Mountain, is rich in porcelain clay. The kiln sites constitute the largest group of kiln sites on the outskirts of the city. Archaeological work has uncovered 26 kiln sites dating to various historical eras, from the Southern Song Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty (6th-20th centuries). As many as 12 of these sites can be traced to the Song-Yuan era (10th-14th centuries), most being distributed on small hills along either bank of the Jiushijiu Creek, a tributary of the Jinjiang River. The Kiln Sites at Jinjiaoyi Hill were constructed in the 10th century and were in peak production from the 10th to 13th centuries. In 2002 and 2003, three archaeological excavations were conducted on the sites of the kilns, revealing the ruins of four dragon kilns (Y1-Y4) and one workshop (F1). Most of the porcelain wares unearthed from Cizao Kilns are richly celadon or brownish-black glazed. The porcelain material is grayish and mixed with sand. The porcelain wares are mostly shaped into everyday items, such as decorative pots, jars, bottles, water storage vessels, powder boxes, bowls, plates, saucers and lanterns. Porcelain wares from Cizao Kilns have been unearthed in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia and East Africa; they have been discovered in sunken shipwrecks in the South China Sea and around Huaguang Reef, as well as in shipwrecks in the waters around Sinan in South Korea, Java in Indonesia, Luzon in the Philippines and Jepara in Indonesia. Among other samples, the kendi water bottles found in these places are prime examples of export porcelain from ancient Quanzhou. The Sites of Cizao Kilns were included into the sixth group of major cultural heritage sites protected at the national level by the State Council in May, 2006.