Beijing Cultural Relics Appreciation Series—Yuan Dynasty Porcelain

Author: Ma Xigui
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-01-01
Features: The porcelain industry of the Yuan Dynasty was a continuation and development of the Song and Jin porcelain industries. Yuan porcelain falls between the two peaks of Song and Ming-Qing porcelain production, exhibiting a clear transitional nature. On one hand, traditional products from some famous kilns of the Song and Jin periods, such as Cizhou Kiln, Jun Kiln, Jingdezhen Kiln, and Longquan Kiln, continued to be produced. Notably, Longquan and the celadon kilns saw an increase in large-sized pieces due to export demand, and production scales expanded widely. On the other hand, the middle and late Yuan Dynasty Jingdezhen kilns officially produced new varieties such as blue-and-white porcelain, underglaze red porcelain, cobalt blue glaze, copper red glaze, and eggshell glaze, laying the foundation for its future status as a porcelain capital.
During the Yuan Dynasty, under the rule of the Yuan regime, the northern Ding Kiln and Yaozhou Kiln had declined, while Jun Kiln and Cizhou Kiln continued to thrive. The production center of the Jun porcelain system remained in Yuci County, Henan. During this period, the influence of Jun porcelain surpassed that of the Song Dynasty, with kilns producing Jun porcelain widely distributed in Henan, as well as in Hebei and Shanxi, forming a Jun porcelain system. Unlike the Song and Jin periods, Yuan Jun porcelain had thicker, rougher, and porous bodies, with sand particles and sand pores, and the body color was dark gray or earthen yellow. The combination of body and glaze was less tight than that of Song Jun porcelain, with coarse glaze, large bubbles, and brown spots. The color was generally creamy white or bluish-gray, with occasional purple-red color spots on some pieces, which were intentionally applied rather than the natural diffusion of copper elements in the glaze during high-temperature firing. The thick glaze often flowed naturally but did not reach the bottom, leaving the foot unglazed and exposing a deep yellow or light brown body. Yuan Jun porcelain was generally plain without patterns, though some standing vessels like jars, bottles, and incense burners had molded or applied decorations, which were often blurred. Common Yuan Jun porcelain forms included plates, bowls, jars, incense burners, bottles, and basins. Bowls were typically constricted at the mouth, with inward-sloping sides and small foot rings, with a chicken-heart-shaped protrusion at the center of the foot left by wheel trimming. Incense burners often had straight or shallow dish mouths, straight necks, bulging bodies, and three small pointed or animal feet, with some featuring handles. Compared to Song Dynasty Jun porcelain, Yuan Jun porcelain has been preserved in larger quantities, but its value differs greatly from that of Song Jun porcelain, primarily due to its coarse body, rigid glaze color, and abundance.
By the Yuan Dynasty, blue-and-white porcelain already existed, and underglaze red porcelain production had become relatively mature. Underglaze red porcelain was a traditional painted porcelain and a significant achievement of Jingdezhen porcelain production in the Yuan Dynasty. The only imperial kiln during the Yuan Dynasty was in Jingdezhen, and all imperial kiln wares bore the "Shufu" mark. Yuan porcelain had thick glaze, often imitating Jun porcelain, with pale blue glaze mixed with purple spots being highly prized. Patterns and designs included incised, printed, and carved decorations. This period introduced techniques such as kiln transformation, blue-and-white porcelain, and underglaze red porcelain, creating conditions for underglaze decoration and later overglaze decoration. During this time, in addition to retaining some of the porcelain-making traditions of the Song Dynasty, such as incised, carved, and printed decorations, a new method of painting designs with brushes on the body was developed. Porcelain painted with colored materials and then fired was called "" (cai ci). "Cai ci" was generally divided into two categories: "overglaze" and "underglaze." Patterns were painted on the body before glazing and firing, called "underglaze," while patterns were added to already fired porcelain and then fired again in the kiln, called "overglaze." The blue-and-white and underglaze red porcelain of this period belonged to "underglaze." New colors, (wucai), and (fenci) that appeared after the Ming Dynasty all fell under the category of "overglaze."
In summary, the Yuan Dynasty, while inheriting the development of porcelain from previous dynasties, also made innovations and creations, writing a glorious chapter in the history of world ceramics for the motherland. The outstanding achievements of Yuan porcelain, whether in form, decoration, or firing techniques, laid a solid foundation for the further development of the porcelain industry in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The influence of Yuan porcelain in the history of foreign cultural exchange was also profound.