Culture

Pottery

At the early stage of the Neolithic Age, pot had to be made by hands. Clay was coiled into ropes and then carefully smoothed using a paddle on the exterior pressed against an anvil on the inside wall. Later till the primitive Yangshao Culture period, potter wheel was invented, and kiln was bettered, the production of pottery made a leap. The representative pottery then was red earthenware decorated with black animal and geometric designs. During the Longshan Culture period, end of the Neolithic Age, fast wheel was used and pottery reached a record height, represented by the white pottery and eggshell-thin black pottery.

Pottery continued to develop in the successive dynasties. During the Zhou Dynasty, pottery wares gained variety of designs and decorations. And faience appeared. Until the Qin Dynasty, pottery industry stepped into a new era. The world famous Qin Terra-cotta Warriors and Horses excavated in Xian, Shaanxi, astonished archaeologists for the marvelous techniques. Innovations and experimentations went on in later dynasties until in the Tang Dynasty thus another great leap forward was made. The tri-colored pottery appeared! The sharp colored pottery won world reputation. Since in the Tang Dynasty, people emphasized luxurious funeral, nice and delicate pottery wares were always served as grave goods which included pottery officials, dancers, warriors and animals.

During the Ming Dynasty, purple clay pottery blossomed. The famous unique pottery, seldom glazed, was and still is, specially produced in Yixing, Jiangsu, since there's no purple clay in other places. It is the favorites of many people in China. The pottery usually maintains artistic beauty and daily use.

Fahua pottery was also famous in the Ming Dynasty. The pottery, in the south of Shanxi province, was ovened at low temperature. Usually, human figures, pavilions, peonies, and birds were painted upon in peacock blue, green, purple and white.