The Origin and Lines of Korean Porcelain

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the origin and the relevant subjects of Korean porcelain to understand the lines, and to clarify the nature of the kilns at Sindeok-ri, Haenam that represents the southern area.BR For the purpose, we examined the origin and the relevant subjects, investigated the sites of kilns at the beginning stage of Korean porcelain classifying them into those in the southern area and the central area, and compared the two areas to draw differences between them. We also compared the manufacturing skills with those of the kilns at Wolju in China.BR An important agreement of result of this study, the first, it is highly likely that kiln sites at ‘the beginning stage of Korean porcelain’ in the southern area and the central area might succeed different lines. With regard to the kinds of products, celadon porcelain, black porcelain and pottery were produced from the same kilns in the southern area, while celadon porcelain and white porcelain were produced after pottery in the central area. Examining the types in detail, small-sized bowels and storage containers such as pyunbyungs, pyunhos and potbelly glaze bottles. The mouths of the bottles were tray-shaped. On the other hand, in the central area, small-sized bowels as well as janggos, kettles and small-sized bottles were produced. The mouths of the little-sized bottles were trumpet-shaped. Small-sized bowels from the southern area were made in Chinese skills and storage containers appear to resemble traditional pottery, while the central area produced all Chinese-styled small-sized bowels and storage containers. Examining their characteristics, those from the southern area are without a pattern while a few of those from the central area have iron figures or marquetries. Concerning the plastic skill, the two areas demonstrate further clear distinctions in Chookyobob(how to make a pottery kiln), Gabbal(pottery baking capsule), Gabbal-cover, slope dochim(triangle phase clay pad) and the props, the use of fireproof earth and the baking methods. Because of, a theory of toward of south manufacturing skill of marquetries don’t be opportune.BR The second, the kilns of Sindeok-ri, Haenam with those in the central area are as follows. In the kiln site of Sindeok-ri, the sole large-sized group of kiln remains, has around 60 ruins of kilns that produced porcelain (celadon porcelain and black porcelain) and pottery. In terms of kinds, Sindeok-ri of Haenam in the southern area produced porcelain and pottery at the same time differently from the central area where porcelain was produced after pottery. At Haenam, Jinsan-ri kilns succeeding Sindeok-ri kilns produced janggos with iron figures. It was confirmed that janggos had been produced since the early stage. Seeing the styles, porcelain from Haenam in the southern area is all without a pattern. On the contrary, in the central area, a few of Janggos in the later age were made with the techniques of iron figures and marquetries. The difference is more distinctive in the plastic method. In the southern area, upside-down-bowl-typed Gabbal(pottery baking capsule) and bowl-typed Gabbal were unearthed simultaneously.BR It is estimated that, at the time when the teacups of the Chinese style with a corona-shaped foot were baked separately, the Zen Buddhism and tea culture had been popularized to some extent. Furthermore, the kilns at Sindeok-ri was located in a geographically significant spot where the estuary of the Youngsan River became the gateway of the southwest region for active transactions of the Zen Buddhism and tea culture. Considering the environments of geography and the silkroad of sea. port of Youngsan river, the collective kiln sites of the southern area suggest that they are possibly the origin of Korean porcelain that occurred around AD 850.