Punch’ŏng Ware with Incised and Sgraffito Designs of Early Chosŏn: Its Context and Production Period

Abstract

The “punch’ŏng ware with incised and sgraffito designs” stands as a hallmark of early Chosŏn ceramics. Its production began in the latter part of the fifteenth century, primarily centered around kilns along the southwestern coasts of Chŏlla province. This tradition persisted until the mid-sixteenth century. In the fifteenth-century Chosŏn era, a variety of decorated ceramics found application across a spectrum of functions, including politics, diplomacy, and religious rituals. It is assumed that this particular type of punch’ŏng ware was similarly used in bureaucratic and official contexts. Previous research has suggested that the “punch’ŏng ware with incised and sgraffito designs” may have been influenced by ceramics from northern China. However, this paper proposes a different perspective: the punch’ŏng ware production, utilizing incise and sgraffito techniques, could have its origins in the crafting of tributary wares, characterized by stamped patterns covering their entire surface. Additionally, it is hypothesized that the production of “punch’ŏng ware with incised and sgraffito designs” was concentrated in regions adjacent to the southwestern coast of Chŏlla Province. This geographical focus may be attributed to the ease of transporting ceramics used in the royal court to Hanyang before the establishment of official kilns and the concentration of royal properties in the Chŏlla region. My future research will aim to comprehensively understand the characteristics of “punch’ŏng ware with incised and sgraffito designs” by analyzing its consumption patterns and stylistic features.