Ashmolean Eastern Art Online, Yousef Jameel Centre for Islamic and Asian Art

High-fired ceramics with hard glazes have been made in China for more than 3000 years. Tang dynasty examples have white, black or green glazes. These glazes contain iron oxide, with the black being fired in a cleaner and more oxygen-rich atmosphere and the green in a smokier kiln with less oxygen.

The 9th-century greenwares from the Yue kilns in northern Zhejiang province on the east coast are amongst the most prestigious ceramics in China’s history. They were used by the emperor in Buddhist ceremonies, and are the subject of several Tang poems.

Greenware from Zhejiang province

Greenware vase with floral decoration (EA1956.196) Greenware ewer with incised lines (EA1956.215) Greenware burial vase with spouts (EA1956.1237) Greenware burial-pot with incised lines (EA1956.659)

Greenware burial vase with lid in the form of a lotus (EA1956.199) Greenware vase with lotus leaves (EA1956.1298) Greenware vase with floral decoration (EA1956.1221) Greenware vase with flower-shaped lid (EA1956.1225)

Greenware box with lotus flower (EA1956.1230) Globular greenware jar (EA1956.292) Greenware spittoon (EA1956.1202)

Greenware box with two birds (EA1956.658) Greenware ewer with ornamental flanges (EA1956.260) Greenware lobed bowl (EA1956.314)

Greenware stand with floral decoration (EA1956.307) Greenware box with floral decoration (EA1956.1212) Greenware spittoon with square mouth (EA1956.289)

Greenware globular jar with lotus petal decoration (EA1956.1216) Greenware jar with lotus leaves (EA1956.1214) Greenware jar with four loop-handles (EA1956.1206) Globular greenware jar with lotus flower decoration (EA1956.1219)

Greenware cup stand with boy holding a tea-cup (EA1956.1228) Greenware meiping, or plum blossom, vase (EA1956.1236) Greenware vase in double-gourd form (EA1956.294)

White wares from north China

White ware cup (EA1956.1113) White ware bottle vase (EA1956.1123) White ware bottle vase (EA1956.1105) White ware cup (EA1956.1176)

White ware inkstone with taotie masks (EA1956.1116) White ware box (EA1956.1166) White ware amphora with handles in the form of dragons (EA1956.1072)

White ware jar (EA1956.1159) White ware oil jar (EA1956.1108) White ware bowl with ring handle (EA1956.1145)

Globular white ware bowl (EA1956.1137) Miniature white ware vase (EA1956.1146) White ware jar (EA1956.1111) White ware trefoil-shaped box with lid (LI1301.314)

Black wares from north China

Black ware ewer with iron glaze (EA1956.1107) Black ware vase in double-gourd form (EA1956.1174)

Dragon kiln, southern and eastern China

Dragon kilns measured up to 137 metres long and were built up hillsides, looking like the body of a dragon. The fuel was wood, placed in the firebox at the lower end and added through stokeholes along the sides. The best pots were those fired in the upper chambers, where the temperature and atmosphere were most even.

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Sherds of Yue ware ceramics

The dense dark grey body is typical of wares from the Yue kiln sites, around the shores of Shanglin Lake in Zhejiang province. The decoration has been incised onto the clay before being covered in green glaze. The kings of the Wu Yue state had very fine pieces in their burials but the wares were also traded to northern China, the Middle East and Africa.

Greenware sherd with floral decoration (EAP.5) Greenware sherd from a pot (EAP.3) Greenware sherd with floral decoration (EAP.7)

Modern test strips of iron-coloured glazes

The strip on the left shows lime glazes fired at 1220 degrees celsius. The strip on the right shows lime-alkali glazes fires at 1250 degrees, which were favoured after the Tang dynasty.

The green glazes have been fired in a kiln less rich in oxygen. The precise shade depends on the kiln atmosphere and the titanium content of the glaze. The rate at which the pots cool down after firing affects the glaze texture.