Main characteristics of Tongguan kiln in Changsha

The porcelain unearthed from Tongguan Kiln in Changsha is very artistic and creative, which is not only varied, but also unique and beautiful in shape and novel in style. There are more than 70 kinds of toys, such as pots, bottles, cups, plates, bowls, dishes, inkstones, cans, incense burners and pulse pillows. There are also many people, animals, fish and other modeling toys. Some are also equipped with three-eye spray holes, which can whistle and blow out simple syllables. Many animals have a variety of shapes, almost none of which are the same, and their expressions are vivid and lifelike. In addition to the common round vessels, there are flower-shaped, melon-pedicel, spindle-shaped and other highly personalized and decorative vessels. Changsha Tongguan Kiln mainly has underglaze color, die-printed applique, carving, printing, hollowing out and other decorative techniques, among which underglaze color is the most distinctive. At that time, celadon was dominant in the south and white porcelain was dominant in the north, with a single color. Changsha Tongguan Kiln creatively applies painting art to porcelain decoration, that is, it mixes coloring agents such as iron and copper with pigments, directly draws decorative patterns on the unfired porcelain tire with a pen dipped in pigments, then covers it with a layer of glaze and fires it in the kiln. Mastering the kiln temperature skillfully, porcelain appears one or more colors such as brown, green, sauce color and copper red. This is the underglaze color technology, which experts call "a milestone in the history of ceramics".

In particular, copper-red glazed porcelain was successfully fired by the principle of reducing fire, which laid a solid foundation for the development of China, Yuan, Ming, Qing and Lang Yaohong. Before the discovery of red glazed porcelain in Tongguan kiln in Changsha, the academic circles always thought that the red glazed porcelain in Song kiln was the earliest, followed by Jingdezhen red glazed porcelain. The excavation of red glazed porcelain in Changsha Tongguan Kiln not only proved that the birthplace of copper red glaze technology was in Changsha Tongguan Kiln, but also pushed its time forward for more than 300 years. Mr. Feng Xianming, a late ceramic expert, spoke highly of the book "The Harvest of China Ceramic Archaeology in the Past 30 Years": "Changsha Kiln is the birthplace of China's underglaze color, which has a great influence on porcelain kilns after the Song Dynasty ... ranking first in the world, but not too much."

The porcelain paintings of Tongguan Kiln in Changsha are rich and colorful, with flowers and trees, birds and animals, landscape figures as the mainstay, such as birds among flowers, the rising sun with double phoenix, ducks and ducks playing in the water, etc. Have a plenty of single line sketch, have a plenty of color rendering, have a plenty of splash ink. Although the composition is simple, it is skillful, profound and full of vitality.

The decorative patterns of porcelain unearthed from Tongguan Kiln in Changsha were very rare at that time, except for flowers, trees, birds, animals, fish and insects, figures and garden landscapes. It can be said that it was the first time to decorate porcelain with poetry and calligraphy.

The poems of Tongguan Kiln in Changsha are mostly five-character poems, with few seven-character poems and few six-character poems. These poems don't emphasize rhythm very much, and they don't take the reuse of words as a taboo. They only seek artistic conception, popularity and charm, which is completely different from the cabinet style with steady and rigorous rhythm. Most of the poems reflect the life scenes and thoughts and feelings of the middle and lower classes at that time, with simple language, sincere feelings and strong local flavor.