TheXingKilnreacheditszenithduringtheSui(581-618)andTang(618-907)dynasties,whenithadalargeoutputofproductsofhighqualityandlowpricethatreachedeverypartofthecountryincludingtheimperialcourt.ItwasoneoftwobestporcelainproducersinChina,withtheotherbeingtheYueKiln,whichwasknownforceladonwares.
Theproductionofwhiteporcelainismoredemandingtechnicallythanthatofceladon.Therawmaterialsmustmeethigherstandards,theclayhastobemoreprocessed,andthefiringtemperatureishigher.
China鈥檚porcelainmakingtechnologybegantomatureintheTangDynasty.Anumberofclassicpiecesemergedduringthisperiod,andchinawareenteredtheimperialcourt.ThewhiteporcelainoftheXingKilnwasthefirsttobeappointedasaroyalware,andshippedtothecapitalinlargevolumeseveryyear.Itstoodoutforitsfluidshape,lightweight,andfineglaze,whichmeshedwiththeaestheticsoftheroyalfamily.
TheXingwareisfinelymodeled,andcomesinvariousshapesandforms,includingbowls,pots,cups,andotheritemsfordailyuse.Theyaregenerallyfreeofanydecorativepattern,whichhighlightsthepurityofthewhiteglaze.
AmuchsoughtXingwarethathasattainedlegendarystatushasbeenallegedtobeoftranslucentwhiteglaze.Underlightofcertainintensity,onecanseethroughtheitemtoobservethesilhouetteoftheobjectnexttoit.Suchtranslucencyisattributedtothethinclaybody,highceramiclevel,anddeformation-resistanceunderhightemperatures.Despiteitsincrediblethinness,thetranslucentwhiteXingwareisartfullyshaped,somewithengraved,impressed,ormodeledpatterns.Unfortunatelynotasinglecompletepieceofthisgenrehasbeenfoundsofar.Allourknowledgeaboutitcomesfromshardsdiscoveredinarchaeologicalexcavation.
TheartisticandtechnicalsupremacyofXingwareisexplainedprimarilybyitshighfiringtemperature,whichisbelievedtobe1,320擄Cnormally,and1,380擄Cinsomecases,100擄CabovethatforceladonYueware.Thisishighevenbymodernstandardsofporcelainmanufacture.AncientChinesepottersmadefiringatsuchhightemperaturespossibleaftermakinginnovationsinthedesignofthefiringchamber,buildingmaterialsofthechamber,andthefiringprocess.TheinventionoftheXingwarethereforemarksatechnicalmilestoneinChina鈥檚porcelainhistory.RuinsoftheancientXingKiln.AnotherreasonforXingware鈥檚finenessistheinclusionofmagnesiumoxideandphosphoruspentoxideintheconventionallimeglaze,whichreduceglazedrippingandcracking,andmakethesurfacewhiterandsmoother.
TheinventionofwhiteporcelainendedthemonopolyofceladonwaressincetheShangDynasty(C.1600-1100BC),andlaidthefoundationforthecreationofchinawareofothercolors,especiallypolychromicones.AsearlyastheTangDynasty,theXingKilnexportedtoMiddleEasternandEuropeancountries.Itwasnotuntilthe17thcenturythatEuropeansmasteredthetechniqueofmakingwhiteporcelain.
TheXingKilnslippedintooblivionintheSongDynastyfollowingtheriseoftheDingKilnintheneighboringregion.Itremainedamythuntilthe1950s-80s,whenalargeamountofporcelainfragmentswereunearthedatancientkilnruinsinXingtaiCity.Archaeologistsfoundthatbesideswhiteware,thekilnalsoproducedtri-colored,black,andyellowceramics.ThesiteofXingKilnwasputunderstateprotectionin1996.
Afterrelentlessresearchandrepeatedexperiments,scientistshaveretrievedthemanufacturingprocessofwhiteXingwareofcenturiesago.ItisnowbeingmanufacturedandexportedagainaroundtheworldasadistinguishedChineseculturalproduct.
SONGXIAOYANisacourseplannerofantiquechinawareattheAncientPorcelainCourtyardMuseum.CoveredXingBoxEngravedwiththeCharacterYing(ShanghaiMuseum)Theboxisentirelycoveredinfinewhiteglazeexceptattheinterfaceofthebodyandlid.AtthebottomisanengravedChinesecharacterYing,whichisbelievedtostandforthenameoftheprivatewarehouseoftheTangemperor.ItembodiesthehighestqualityofwhiteporcelainwaresoftheTangDynasty.WhiteXingPotintheShapeofaLeatherBag(PalaceMuseuminBeijing)Thepotisbroaderatthebottomandnarroweratthetop,withthecurvedhandlebetweenashort,straightspout,andadecorativefantail.Tomimictheleatherbag,itsportspleatedandraisedlinesonthecurvedpart.Theglazeiswhite,withgreenishhuesatthedecorativelines.Onitsbottomiscarvedthenameofitsmakerinsemi-cursivescript.PotofthisdesignwasoriginallymadeofsilverorgoldintheTangDynasty.WhiteXingCandleHolderofLotusPattern(NationalMuseumofChina)Itconsistsofacuptoholdthecandle,apanbelowtocatchwaxdrippings,along,narrowcylinderasthehandle,andalotus-patternedseat.Theundulated,spiralinglinesonthecylinderarebothdecorativeandfunctional鈥損reventingtheitemfromslippingfromhands.Thiswareisoffirmtextures,anditsglazeislustrouslywhite,representingtheexcellenceofTangDynastyporcelainmaking.