Longquan Ware is a famous celadon kiln from the Southern Song Dynasty in China.
It was imported to Japan from the Kamakura period to the Muromachi period, and was beloved by the Imperial family and feudal lords, where it was known as “kinuta celadon.”
Many masterpieces remain in art museums across the country.
We will explain Japan’s most well-known Longquan Ware using photographs of works from our online museum’s collection.
We will also introduce some recommended Longquan ware ceramics from our online museum’s collection.
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What is Longquan Ware?
Located in and around Longquan County, Zhejiang Province, China, this kiln is a representative celadon kiln from the Song to Yuan dynasties, which primarily produced high-quality celadon.
The kiln began producing celadon and black-glazed porcelain during the Tang dynasty, and it wasn’t until the Northern Song dynasty that it began to produce celadon in earnest.
Its heyday was from the Southern Song dynasty to the early Ming dynasty, and it is characterized by its pale-glazed celadon.
History of Longquan Ware
During the late Tang dynasty, celadon was produced at Yuezhou kilns, but production declined by the mid-Northern Song dynasty, and the center of celadon production shifted to Longquan ware.
By the end of the Northern Song dynasty, ceramics from Longquan ware widely exported overseas, and many were also imported to Japan.
By the Southern Song dynasty, the craftsmanship had been refined, and the beautiful Longquan celadon, with its grayish-white base and pale blue glaze, became popular in Japan, known as “kinuta celadon.”
Kinuta celadon continued to be produced during the Yuan dynasty, but by the mid-Yuan dynasty, large vases and other ceramics adorned with the intricate decoration unique to Longquan ware were produced to meet orders from Western Asia and Mongolia.
Celadon from this time and the early Ming dynasty was introduced to Japan on the Tenryuji-ship, a trading ship from the Muromachi period, and was therefore known in Japan as “Tenryuji celadon.”
During the same period, the ceramics from Longquan ware were so highly regarded for their technical expertise that they began producing porcelain for the imperial court as an official kiln.
Towards the end of the Ming dynasty, the trend for ceramics shifted to white porcelain and blue and white porcelain, and Longquan ware gradually fell into decline.
However, excellent celadon was still being produced at this time, and it was called “Shichikan Celadon” because it was brought to the area by the Seven Officials of the Ming dynasty.
Characteristics of Longquan Ware
Initially, everyday items such as plates and bowls were made with a pale celadon glaze, but during the Northern Song dynasty, the glaze color changed to a greenish-blue, and by the Southern Song dynasty, bright blue pieces became more common.
Compared to the Southern Song Guan ware, which were also celadon kilns of the same period, Longquan ware are notable for their many pieces featuring elaborate decorations such as reliefs, intaglios, and floral plasterwork.
As they operated for a long period, through the Southern Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties, the colors and shapes of their celadon evolved to suit each era.
In Japan, Longquan celadon is broadly divided into three periods.Kinuta celadon, fired from the Southern Song to early Yuan dynasty, Tenryuji celadon, fired from the Yuan to early Ming dynasty, and Shichikan celadon, fired from the Ming to early Qing dynasty.
Southern Song to early Yuan dynasty: Kinuta celadon
Kinuta celadon
During the Southern Song dynasty, technology improved and pale blue celadon began to be produced, with a thin base and a thick layer of glaze.
The clay is grayish-white and slightly porcelain-like, and the glaze is clear, matte, and has almost no crackled-glaze.
In Japan, this celadon is called kinuta celadon.
The Southern Song official kilns, which were producing celadon at the same time, had a black, ceramic-like clay body and a glassy glaze that was crackled-glaze throughout, so even though they were both celadon, there were differences.
Yuan Dynasty to Early Ming Dynasty: Tenryuji Celadon
Tenryuji Celadon
By this time, the glaze took on a slightly yellowish tint.
This is thought to be due to mass production to meet orders from overseas, which resulted in a shortage of high-quality raw materials.
Then, due to orders from Western Asia and Mongolia, a trend toward large-scale pieces was seen, with an increase in heavy plates and large vases measuring around 30cm in height.
Because vases and other items were large, it is said that they were made in separate parts such as the neck, body and foot.
Decorations such as stamped and pasted flowers became more common, and pieces featuring iron pigments dripped onto celadon to create spots were also fired.
Ming to early Qing dynasty: Shichikan celadon
Shichikan celadon
The glaze tone has changed significantly, becoming a deep grayish blue-green with a strong luster, and fine crackled-glaze that was not present before now appears throughout the piece.
Longquan ware at our online museum
We would like to introduce some of the noteworthy Longquan ware ceramics available at our online museum.
Celadon Jar with Carved Peony Arabesque Design
This jar with a lid was used to store food and other items.
The body and lid are covered in relief with peony and arabesque patterns, and the transparent glaze makes the patterns stand out in white, giving it an elegant impression.
This celadon ware was made in the Song Dynasty, and this type of glaze is known in Japan as “Kinuta celadon,” and it is a highly prized item.
Click here for details about this ceramics.
This is a large jar from Longquan ware, a famous celadon kiln in the Southern Song dynasty. A pot with a lid was used to store food. The waist sprea...
Celadon Vase with Iron Brown Spots and Pasted Peach Design
During the Yuan Dynasty, porcelain pieces became larger, and this particular piece measures 34.9 cm in height.
Examples of iron-spot patterns are rare, and this piece, with its peach pattern on the shoulder, is especially uncommon.
In Japan, porcelain fired with scattered iron spots on a celadon glaze is called “tobi-seiji” and is highly prized.
Click here for details about this ceramics.
It is called tobiseiji in Japan and was popularly fired in Ryusen kilns in the Yuan period. In the Yuan dynasty, the wares became larger, and many he...
Celadon Bottle with Animal Ring Handles
During the Ming dynasty, celadon from Longquan ware became a deeper green and more transparent, with a fine crackled glaze that was rarely seen before.
Based on a large Jade Pot Spring Vase, measuring 29.4cm in height, it has a flower-shaped mouth and a handle on the neck featuring an animal holding a ring in its mouth.
The handle is a design commonly seen on bronzeware, and is rare even among the Ming dynasty Longquan kilns, which became heavily decorated.
This glaze was known in Japan as “Shichikan Celadon.”
Click here for details about this ceramics.
The color and glaze tone of the Longquan celadon porcelain changed with the times, and in the Ming dynasty, the green color became darker and the vitr...
Chinese celadon is praised worldwide for its beauty, and in addition to Longquan ware, there are also Yuezhou ware, Ru ware, Southern Song Dynasty Guan ware, and Ge ware, each of which has its own charm.
Our online museum features many celadon pieces from kilns other than Longquan ware, so we hope you will enjoy comparing them with Longquan ware to see the differences.
There are also plenty of photographs, including close-ups of the glaze, clay, and foot, which are difficult to see in museums, so please enjoy.
You can see a list of celadon ceramics by clicking the button below.
How to purchase or acquire Longquan ware
Longquan celadon remains popular not only in Japan but also in China, and is traded in large quantities in the antiques industry.
Due to their high reputation, Longquan celadon pieces can be seen frequently at antique markets and shops.
However, on the other hand, many modern imitations have been made, making it somewhat difficult to identify the real thing, and many pieces are of incorrect date.
The older the era, the higher the price, and pieces from the Southern Song dynasty are extremely expensive.
Pieces from the Yuan to Ming dynasties are somewhat cheaper, and it is possible to find authentic pieces.
Generally, fakes are often found among pieces priced under $300, so caution is advised.
Our official antiques shop also carries Longquan celadon, but only a small number can be confidently called Longquan.
However, we do carry a carefully selected range of high-quality pieces, so we hope you will take a look for yourself.
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