Changsha Kiln Tongguan Ceramic Firing Technique

The Changsha kiln firing technique of Tongguan was born in the Tang dynasty; the old town of Tongguan sits on the east bank of the Xiang River in Wangcheng, where underglaze polychrome decoration was first created, making it the birthplace of underglaze-coloured porcelain. The craft entered the third national ICH list in 2011.

The craft spans throwing, hand-forming and sculpting, along with appliqué, painting, glaze-making and firing, centring on the underglaze method of painting colour onto the raw body, coating it with clear glaze and firing it once, with a wide range of decorative motifs.

Changsha-kiln underglaze ware once travelled the maritime Silk Road, and the wreck of the "Belitung" ship yielded tens of thousands of its pieces, evidence of the craft's maturity and of early international trade, giving it outstanding historical and artistic value.

The related kiln site and ceramic firing can be seen at the Changsha Tongguan Kiln National Archaeological Site Park.