Chinese Porcelain Collection

History

A wall in Hutien Village south of Jingdezhen built mostly by saggars and debris from the ceramic industry. Photo: © Jan-Erik Nilsson, 1991

Jingdezhen is with some right sometimes called the Porcelain Capital of the World. Literary sources indicate the start of ceramic production in the area to the Han dynasty (BC 206-A.D 220) which is quite likely depending on what you mean with "the area". In year 621 some pieces from this area are known to have been presented to the celebrated founder of the Tang dynasty.

Archaeological evidence so far puts the start of porcelain production here to the period of the Five Dynasties (907-960). The products got imperial recognition during the reign of the Song Emperor Jing De (1004-1007) when the city also got its name - Jingdezhen. A dramatic change of the importance of the whole of southern China - and Jingdezhen - came by the moving of the Imperial court to the southern city of Nanjing in 1127. With a changed emphasis on the importance of trade an important porcelain export industry got started.

The city of Jingdezhen is built on porcelain shards, and of porcelain shards. The beds of shards under the city are on some places up to 18 metres thick I was told. In some of the older buildings I could see how old kiln wasters were used as building materials in brick walls and house foundations.

Text & Photos © Jan-Erik Nilsson, 1991, 1992, 2010

During 1991 and 1992 I had the privilege to visit the city of Jingdezhen and its surroundings as a participant in a small research delegation consisiting of Professor Bo Gyllensvärd, former head and founder of The Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities in Stockholm, two of the curators of Ulricehamn Museum of Oriental Art and the Carl Kempe Collection, and myself. All pictures illustrating this article are taken by me during those visits.