Yue Kiln

The main Yue Kiln first appeared in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The kilns in today's Huiji, Shanyin, Zhuji, Yuyao, Shanxian, Xiaoshan, and Shangyu counties, which belonged to the Yue Prefecture in the Tang Dynasty, are all part of the Yue Kiln, which is famous for its fine celadon productions.

The Yue Kiln flourished during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and the Five Dynasties period (907-960), and the kiln's celadon was famous both near and far, occupying an important position in the development of Chinese pottery.

With the first phase of development falling from the Eastern Han (25-220) to the Sui dynasties (581-618), early Yue Kiln pottery was simple in style. By the time of the Tang Dynasty, the pottery-making techniques had achieved great improvements, with the pottery industry also having developed to a high level. Archaeological evidence has proved that the Shanglinhu Yue Kiln started producing exquisite pottery tributes especially for the emperors as early as late in the Tang Dynasty.

During the Five Dynasties and Ten States Period (902-960), official kilns were built in Shanglinhu (located in Shanglinhu of Cixi County, formerly of Yuyao County, East China's Zhejiang Province) and other places devoted strictly to producing pottery as tributes to the imperial family. The pottry products adopted advanced color-glazing crafts and were decorated with gold, silver, and copper edges, including patterns of rare animals, fish, tortoises, flowers, grass, and human figures that employed carving, enchasing (inlaying), and other techniques.

The Shanglinhu Yue Kiln Celadon has acquired a great reputation due to its high quality and exquisite design. Since the Tang Dynasty, the celadon has been sold to countries and regions such as Korea, Japan, and the Middle East via Mingzhou and Hangzhou cities in Zhejiang Province.