Ming Wares, Zu Tang Ju, Wu Nan Shi Tang and the Manuscript of "A certain Gentleman" in Foshan

Yang Sheng, Yang Ming, Ke Song, and Chen Wencheng have all been identified as Ming dynasty potters. Generally accepted works have been identified for at least the first three artists. In addition, the specialty wares of Zu Tang Ju and Wu Nan Shi Tang, one of which may have been produced in Dongguan Municipality, are fabled to be of the Ming period.

Wu Nan Shi Tang and Zu Tang Ju seem to have competed in their distinctive styles. The Wu Nan Shi Tang wares specialized in alter furnishings, most often in unglazed biscuit with archaic bronze style designs (5 through 7). This unglazed ware allowed its makers to render the fine detail of monster masks and thunder and cloud patterns on ancient bronzes. In contrast, the Zu Tang Ju wares were fully glazed in the style of Tang three color ware, which was also indicated by their name, "Tang Ancestral Home". Bronze shapes were also popular but greater range of vessel shapes and figure subjects appear in this ware. Both styles were continued throughout the Qing dynasty.

Due to the many Qing productions in the style of Zu Tang Ju and Wu Nan Shi Tang, some individuals have even dismissed the suggestion that any of these wares are of Ming provenance. However, a number of puzzle pieces that relate to the mystery may have been overlooked. These pieces point to a possible close relationship between the Zu Tang Ju and Wu Nan Shi Tang wares and with the Ming potters Yang Ming and Yang Sheng.

(1) A number of Wu Nan Shi Tang wares bear the seal "Sheng Ming" (5 and 6), which could possibly relate to the Ming potters Yang Sheng and Yang Ming.

(2) Bronze style shapes were popular both with Yang Sheng, Yang Ming, and the Wu Nan Shi Tang potters and some shapes are extremely closely related (7 and .

(3) Bothe Yang Ming and Yang Sheng favored the use of oval  marks similar to those used by Zu Tang Ju (9).

It is tempting to think that the interplay of glazed Zu Tang Ju with unglazed Wu Nan Shi Tang gave birth to the inspiration that was to become the hallmark of Shiwan figure sculpture, the combined use of unglazed flesh areas with glazed robes. One figure of the God of Longevity appears to be just such a combination of Zu Tang Ju and Wu Nan Shi Tang styles, having the fine white clay of both wares partially in the three color glaze characteristic of Zu Tang Ju and partially in the biscuit of Wu Nan Shi Tang (10).

Shiwan Ceramics, Beauty, Color and Passion