Qingbai porcelain cup with carved lotus pattern
Among the numerous kilns producing celadon porcelain in southern China during the Song Dynasty, the Hutian Kiln in the Fuliang area of Raozhou (present-day Jingdezhen) stood out thanks to a combination of favorable timing, location, and harmonious people, becoming the most outstanding representative. Its products are characterized by a simple and elegant style. The body is delicate, white, thin, and firm, resembling "white skin and jade bones." The glaze is translucent and clear, with lake blue (or green) where the glaze accumulates, reminiscent of a clear autumn water or a cloudless azure sky. Decorated with techniques such as carving, streaking, printing, piling, and inlay carving, these wares are "luminous and beautiful," earning them the reputation of "Raomei Jade." Later generations often praised this style as "shadow blue porcelain," making it one of my country's most prized porcelains of the Song and Yuan dynasties.
_edited.jpg)
The upside-down baking method involves baking utensils such as bowls and plates upside down. Although this method has the disadvantage of a "hard mouth", it can increase production and reduce costs, so it has been widely promoted.
The Hutian Kiln in Jingdezhen once produced Mangkou porcelain on a large scale. To compensate for the imperfections of the Mangkou, gold, silver, or copper rings were often inlaid on the rim as decoration, simultaneously conveying luxury and nobility.