Cizhou Kiln

Cizhou kiln, Pinyin Cizhou yao, Wade-Giles romanization Tz’u-chou yao, kiln known for stoneware produced in Handan (formerly Cizhou), Hebei province, in northern China, primarily during the Song (960–1279) dynasty.

The kiln produced hard pillows, vases, bottles, and other vessels decorated with simple but marvelously assured brushwork in brown, black, or gray on a white, cream, buff, or, occasionally, turquoise background. The pale background of the ware was achieved by applying a coating of slip (semiliquid clay) to the body of the vessel before firing. Bold strokes, curves, seemingly haphazard splotches, freehand concentric bands around the vessel, and sketchy animals and birds were typical decorative motifs. Folk tales and popular songs were also used as decoration on pillows and vessels. Another type of ornamentation consisted of incisions in the slip coating, which revealed the contrasting colour of the body beneath. The Cizhou kiln exerted a great influence upon the kilns in Henan, Hebei, and Shanxi provinces. Its influence also spread to Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asia.