Ancient Porcelain Kiln Site in China: The Yue-Kiln Site at Shanglin Lake

The Yue-Kiln sites at Shanglin Lake are widely regarded as the origin of Chinese porcelain, as well as the centre for producing Yue-kiln celadon in the Tang and Song dynasties. The so far discovered 179 sites are distributed closely to each other with four lakes nearby. Yue Kiln was took its form in the eastern Han Dynasty, reaching its heyday in the late Tang Dynasty, the Five Dynasties, and the early northern Song Dynasty, declined in the late Song Dynasty, and were left out in the southern Song Dynasty. These kilns, where celadons were produced for a thousand years, witnessed the whole history of the Yue Kiln, and have long been known as ‘an outdoor museum of celadon'.

From the eastern Han Dynasty to the Sui Dynasty, celadon production was conducted on a small scale at Shanglin Lake, with only 20-odd kilns. The products at that moment mainly included jars, pots, drinking vessels, bowls, plates, cups, basins, and ink slabs. They had hard and crude roughcasts that contained grains of sand. Most had yellowish green glaze, while some had pale green, green, or brown glaze. Common patterns were: feathers, network, mat, window lattice, and double-line waves in the eastern Han and the Three Kingdoms Period; strings, slanted checkers, connected pearls, and brown dots in the western Jin Dynasty and eastern Jin; double-line lotus petals and brown dots in the southern dynasties.

In the Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties, the number of kilns skyrocketed, as the porcelain industry boomed as it never had before. Porcelain-making techniques almost attained perfection in the period, especially in the late Tang Dynasty. A large number of exquisite, beautifully shaped products were made, including bowls, plates, cups, cases, lamps, pitchers, pots, pads, cups, spittoons, basins, incense burners, and ink slabs. They had fine, firm, and compact grayish white roughcasts. Most of them were evenly coated with greenish yellow, grayish green or green glaze that was as translucent as ice or jade. They had little decoration apart from small patterns of lotus, round flowers, fishes, birds, or dragons, or drawings in brown.

Porcelain production at Shanglin Lake was still thriving in the early northern Song Dynasty, when the popular decoration was carved patterns of vivid-looking plants, animals, or human figures. In the late northern Song Dynasty, however, it began to decline. Products made during this period show poor workmanship, with crude decorative patterns, lackluster glaze, and dwindling variety. In the early southern Song Dynasty, it experienced a brief revival as the court ordered ritual vessels and porcelain for daily use, until a government-run kiln was set up in Lin'an specializing in making porcelain for the court. After that the Yue Kiln seemed to have disappeared.

In the late Tang Dynasty, a kiln was set up at Shanglin Lake that produced a great deal of exquisite olive green porcelain for the imperial court. In the Five Dynasties, Yue Kiln continued to produce porcelain of the best quality in the world. Olive green porcelain was most widely used in the royal family and high officials' families in the kingdom of Wuyue and for burial in their tombs. After the northern Song Dynasty was founded, the kingdom was willing to spend as much as possible to appease the new empire. Records show that it had presented to the imperial court 170,000 porcelain articles, most of which were made of olive green Yue-Kiln porcelain. Archaeological finds show that the kilns at Shanglin Lake had produced this kind of porcelain for over two centuries, leaving a brilliant page on China's history of making porcelain. 

Justification of Outstanding Universal Value

As for the criterion (ii):

It was in the eastern Han Dynasty that people started to produce celadons in Yue Kilns. In a thousand years after that, it occupied the leading position among producers of porcelain, being admired and imitated by kilns in other parts of the country. Its porcelain-making techniques spread directly or indirectly all over China, for the benefit of the country's porcelain industry. Yue-Kiln celadon made at Shanglin Lake was used by the court and common people alike, and was sold overseas. Many celadon wares of this kind produced between the mid-Tang Dynasty and the northern Song Dynasty have been unearthed in 20-odd countries and regions, such as South Korea, Japan, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Iran, Iraq, Tanzania, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey, Yemen, Egypt, Sudan, and Somali. The export of Yue-Kiln celadon contributed to cultural exchanges and development across the world, and fostered friendship between peoples of the world.

As for the criterion (iii):

The Yue-Kiln sites at Shanglin Lake are among the most important ones in China's history of porcelain. It witnessed the birth and growth of Yue Kiln, the most famous school of celadon kilns in ancient times, and represents the high achievement of the technique and art of celadon production between the 8th century and the 10th century. The sites at Shanglin Lake provide crucial evidence for the existence of long-vanished Yue-Kiln celadon culture.

As for the criterion (iv):

The Yue-Kiln sites at Shanglin Lake reflect the special planning and design of Dragon Kiln in terms of selection of kiln sites, building of kilns, and use of kiln space, building of workshops, and stockpiling of porcelain pieces. The architecture and layout of the kiln factories served as a model for similar ones in ancient China.

Satements of authenticity and/or integrity

Since the 1980s, authorities in charge of cultural relic protection have been sending teams every year to Shanglin Lake, Baiyang Lake, Lidu Lake, and Guyinding Lake for archeological research. Up to now archaeologists have discovered 179 Yue-Kiln sites, with 115 at Shanglin Lake, 12 at Baiyang Lake, 15 at Lidu Lake, and 37 at Guyinding Lake. By comparison and study of specimens they have identified 11 sites that date from the eastern Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms, 9 that date from the eastern Jin Dynasty and Southern and Northern Dynasties, and 159 that date from Tang and Song dynasties.

The hydrographic net that was closely linked with the selection of sites, production, and exportation of products-the four lakes and the rivers connected to them-East Heng River, Youjing River, and East Youjing River, and the hilly country in the area all retain their historical looks, with the exception of Guyinding Lake, which has long fallen into disuse. The historical surroundings of the sites are an important part of them, for they attest to their authenticity and integrity.

Between 1993 and 2002, Zhejiang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archeology and other relevant units conducted protective unearthing at four sites-Hehuaxin and Maxitan at Shanglin Lake, Shimanong at Baiyang Lake, and Silongkou at Guyinding Lake. 4 dragon kilns, 4 sites of workshops, 4 saggers, and 1 foundation, and a large quantity of porcelain pieces were discovered. The unearthed sites were backfilled for protection and reduction of human intervention. The unearthed sites have enriched data on Yue-Kiln celadon culture, and study of them has confirmed that Dilingtou-type products were made for the court in the southern Song Dynasty, filled in the blanks in Yue Kiln's history between the mid and late northern Song Dynasty and the southern Song Dynasty, and helped to establish the timeline of Yue-Kiln celadon between the late Tang Dynasty and the southern Song Dynasty.

Comparison with other similar properties

There is no entry similar to the Yue-Kiln sites at Shanglin Lake in the published world heritage list. Their scope of distribution, number, preservation, and duration of operation in history are rarely found in the same kinds of sites in the world.