Shiwan Ceramic and Pottery Collecting Group Forum

Controlled Versatility of Glazes In the Style of Other Kilns and Archaic Bronzes

Shiwan Ceramics, Beauty, Color, and Passion
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For over a millennia Guangzhou has been China's southernmost major port city through which pottery and porcelain from all over China was transshipped for sale to Southeast Asia and other countries. This afforded the Cantonese potters exposure to a wide variety of ceramic glazes and techniques. They, in turn, demonstrated their interest and versatility in being able to reproduce wares in the styles of Yue, Cizhou, Guan, Ge, Longquan, Shu, Yixing and many others, as well as their own particular specialties of Jun and Tang three color.

In addition to their interest in historical Chinese potting and glazing techniques, they were also keenly interested in various shapes of archaic bronzes and jades, an interest that began with the early wares of Wu Naan Shi Tang (5 -7) and Zu Tang Ju (10) continued in the later mainstream wares of Nanhai's Shiwan (28 - 30).

This aspect of Shiwan art has often been misinterpreted as demonstrating Shiwan's inferiority as primarily an imitative art rather than an art of original creation. But, in fact, it demonstrates the Shiwan potters complete mastery of their craft being able not only to make their own innovative creations but also to reproduce the wide variety in glazes and styles of kilns from all over China.

Although utilization  of waste materials that produce unpredictable results and inconstant fire conditions ae a part of the dynamic of Shiwan art, they by no means imply that the potters were not in control of their materials.