China has a long history of Tea ware manufacturing, dating back to the Yixing kilns in the Qin and Han dynasties. Each dynasty had specific locations where tea wares were produced. Yue kiln celadons and Xing kiln white porcelains have been renowned both at home and abroad. Additionally, tea wares from other regions like Jian kiln and Jun kiln also have their unique characteristics and are becoming increasingly well-known.

1. Yixing Kilns

Yixing kilns are located in Yixing, Jiangsu Province, and are famous worldwide for producing purple clay teapots. The porcelain-making history of Yixing kilns spans over two thousand years. As early as the Qin and Han dynasties, there were Pottery kilns in the area. Even today, Yixing remains one of China's Ceramic production areas, with high-quality ceramic wares still being produced.

2. Jingdezhen Kilns

Mentioning porcelain production regions, one cannot overlook Jingdezhen. The name Jingdezhen porcelain has been favored by people since ancient times and continues to be highly praised in modern times.

Jingdezhen kilns are situated in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi Province, hence their name. Porcelain production started in the Jingdezhen kilns during the late Eastern Jin Dynasty. By the Song Dynasty, the porcelain industry there had begun to take shape. It can truly be said that “every village had kilns blazing, and every household was involved in pottery making,” which aptly describes the porcelain industry in Jingdezhen.

Since the Yuan Dynasty, Jingdezhen kilns have become China's largest porcelain production center. Blue-and-white animal patterned dishes, the “sweet white” Yongle white porcelain, blue-and-white porcelain from the Xuande period, doucai (famille rose) porcelain from the Chenghua period, and the unprecedented cobalt-blue polychrome porcelain from the late Ming dynasty were all produced here. Among the vast variety of porcelain, the production of tea wares is also significant. Even today, we can still find a large number of Jingdezhen-made utensils on the tea ware market, which are not only beautiful but also durable and of high quality.

3. Xing Kilns: Primarily Producing White Porcelain

Xing kilns are located in Xingtai, Hebei Province, and mainly produce white porcelain. The white porcelain made here has a fine glaze, pure and flawless, often used as imperial porcelain in ancient times. The poet Pi Rixiu once wrote a poem praising the Xing kilns: “Both Xing and Yue kilns produce porcelain, round like moon souls falling, light as cloud spirits rising.” From this, we can see that the white porcelain produced by Xing kilns is extremely exquisite and beautiful.

4. Yue Kilns: Primarily Producing Celadon

Yue kilns are located in Shaoxing, Zhejiang Province, and began their porcelain-making history as early as the Tang Dynasty. Yue kilns are known for producing celadon, which is crystal clear, smooth, and luminous like water, with a greenish hue. After the tea wares are made, artisans often paint landscapes, flowers, insects, fish, and animals on them, making them both practical and beautiful.

5. Jian Kilns

Jian kilns are located in Jianyang District, Fujian Province, and are named after the region. As early as the Tang Dynasty, Jian kilns were established, primarily producing celadon tea wares. Starting in the Northern Song Dynasty, Jian kilns became famous for their black-glazed tea bowls.

The famous Song Dynasty tea scholar Cai Xiang commented in his book “Tea Record”: “Tea is white, so black bowls are suitable. Those made in Jian'an are dark blue-black, with patterns resembling rabbit fur. Their walls are slightly thick, so they retain heat well and cool slowly, making them the most useful. Those from other places are either thin or purple, none of which can compare. The celadon bowls are not used in tea competitions.” From this, we can see that the tea wares produced by Jian kilns are indeed of high quality and well-crafted.

6. Jun Kilns: Primarily Producing Copper-Red Glaze

Jun kilns, also known as Junzhou kilns, were established in the town of Shenhoushen, Yuzhou City, Henan Province, during the early Song Dynasty. The ancient Jun kiln site is now a national key cultural relic protection unit, and the “Yuzhou Jun Official Kiln Site Museum” has been built on the original site.

7. Ru Kilns: Glaze Color is Primarily Sky Blue

Ru kilns began producing porcelain during the Northern Song Dynasty. Due to the special quality of the clay used, the porcelain often has a distinctive luster. The colors of the porcelain are diverse and rare. The tea wares produced here are very beautiful and continue to be sought after even today.

8. Ding Kilns

Ding kilns were located within Ding Prefecture during the Song Dynasty, hence the name “Ding kilns.” Ding kilns were founded during the Tang Dynasty and became famous for producing white porcelain. The scale of the Ding kiln site is large, divided into three periods: late Tang, Five Dynasties, and Northern Song. In 1986, it was listed as a national key cultural relic protection unit.

9. Southern Song Imperial Kilns

Southern Song Imperial Kilns continued the legacy of Northern Song imperial kilns, moving south and continuing production starting in the thirteenth year of the Shaoxing era. They produced high-quality porcelain continuously for about 130 years, leaving a lasting reputation for China as the kingdom of porcelain, recognized for centuries as the era of the highest artistic ceramics.

10. Ge Kilns

Ge kilns were established by Zhang Shengyi, a native of Chuzhou, Zhejiang Province, in Longquan Liutian during the Song Dynasty. They represent an artistic form created by the Chinese using a “natural creation” approach.

Over the centuries, each porcelain-producing region has contributed countless exquisite tea wares. These tea wares have unique characteristics and beautiful forms, providing not only aesthetic enjoyment while sipping fine tea but also reflecting people's pursuit of art.

Source: ChaTuo

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