Gongxian kiln, one of the most important porcelain kilns in the Tang Dynasty, is located in what is now Gongxian County, Henan Province. There are various types of porcelain fired in Gongxian kilns, such as celadon bowls and high-footed plates in the Sui Dynasty, and in the Tang Dynasty, white porcelain, black porcelain, and yellow, green, blue and other monochrome glazed pottery began to be produced, and the Tang Sancai produced was a well-known product at that time.
Gongxian kilns were first burned in the Sui Dynasty and flourished in the Tang Dynasty. Whether it is celadon, white porcelain or black porcelain, the production in the Gongxian kiln belongs to the fine products. The white porcelain produced in this kiln is gray and white, and the glaze is delicateThe black porcelain carcass is thick and heavy, regular and fine;The Tang Sancai tire is gray-white, and the glaze color has yellow, green, red, blue, white, brown and other colors. In addition to the daily utensils such as bowls, pots, pan bottles, boxes, bowls, cups, etc., there are also some exquisite sculptures of figures and toys of Soochow, and the firing technology is very sophisticated.
It is worth mentioning that the Gongxian kiln is one of the most important kiln sites for firing Tang Sancai that has been discovered. Many scholars believe that the Tang Dynasty Gongxian kiln pioneered the cobalt material firing blue, this blue three-color ware not only had an important impact on the development of the later Song and Liao Sancai and the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, plain three-colored, five-color porcelain, etc., but also had an enlightening effect on the creation of blue and white ware in the later Yuan and Ming dynasties, which can be called the originator of blue and white porcelain. The three colors of Gongxian kiln use the local unique porcelain clay as the tire, commonly known as the white steel tire, the shape and repair of the tire are meticulous and regular, the glaze is transparent, there is the same texture as glass, the color is elegant and exquisite, showing the generous aesthetics and the posture of a great country in the Tang Dynasty.
Although the Gongxian kiln was not fired for a long time, it not only became the preferred tea set for tea culture lovers at that time due to its mixed colors, exquisite shapes and exquisite craftsmanship, but also became the royal tribute of some white porcelain and three-color porcelain. In 1957, someone collected a batch of white porcelain pieces from Gongxian kiln in the Tang Dynasty at the site of Daming PalaceIn many aristocratic tombs, Gongxian kiln three-color porcelain is also found as a funeral sacrifice, which shows the grand occasion and high skill of Gongxian kiln production in the Tang Dynasty.
Now, the ceramic firing skills of Gongxian kiln have been included in the list of intangible cultural heritage of China, and have also been developed in the new era of cultural and tourism integration. This Gongxian kiln, which has left a strong mark in the history of ceramics, is a thousand-year-old legend, worthy of being remembered by us, and will be revitalized.