Bulletin Number Three 1983

Q. What are the differences between modem and traditional research methods in Chinese ceramic studies? A. In the past, scholars relied heavily on historical literature. Books and articles on the history o f ceramics written in the thirties were based on the data provided by this literature. However, this method has its lim itations because written records may not be accurate. Nowadays, research is carried out on the basis o f historical literature, tomb finds and kiln site finds. I think this is by far the best method. In the last th irty years, we have been to kiln sites all over the country, carrying out field investigations, collecting surface finds or taking part in excavations. We have also visited various provincial museums and other archaeological units and examined their collections o f unearthed objects. Our reference material is not confined to ancient and modem historical literature in Chinese but also the works o f scholars o f other countries. Chinese articles written in the thirties are worth studying although they may contain some erroneous information resulting from the inavailability o f sufficient data, which must therefore be checked and analysed carefully. Q. Were such discoveries made accidentally or were excavations systematically carried out? A. Discoveries were mainly made in the course o f construction. However, excavations have also been conducted on the basis o f data provided by historical literature. An example o f such planned excavations is the unearthing o f many architec­ tural remains, city walls and pottery in the present Dengfeng ( 登 封 ) prefecture in Henan and the Xia (夏 ） prefecture in Shanxi, regions where the Xia people were active. Another example is the excavation at the site o f Bianliang ( 汴 梁 ) , a Song capital. The Institute o f Archaeo logy, The Chinese Academy o f Social Sciences, and various provincial archaeological units have stationed working teams at important excavation sites ， such as Xian (西 安 ) in Shaanxi and Loyang ( 洛陽 ) in Henan, both capital cities for several dynasties; and Anyang ( 安 in Henan, a Shang city where a lo t o f objects bearing oracle inscrip tions have been unearthed. Q. How about scholars o f other countries? What methods have they adopted? A. They, too, place great emphasis on Chinese historical literature, especially articles written during the thirties. They also study the Chinese ceramics collections o f their own countries. Of course, there are inevitably some fakes among their collections. They may also go to visit museums in China. In the study o f Chinese ceramics, scholars o f other countries have their own traditions. Their studies are usually focused on one dynasty, one kiln site, or one type o f ceramics o f a certain era. John Addis o f England, for instance, focuses his efforts in recent years on the blue-and-white ware and underglaze copper red ware o f the late Yuan and early Ming period (i.e. late fourteenth century). Fujio Koyama o f Japan, who visited the Cizhou and Ding kiln regions during the Sino-Japanese War, specialized in the wares o f these two kilns. In Mainland China, however, most ceramics specialists work in museums, generally involved in dating newly unearthed relics and newly discovered kiln sites, and necessarily not confining themselves to narrow scopes o f study. Q. Have any studies been carried out on the inter relationship o f various kilns ？ A. Yes. In the past three years, the Society o f Ancient Chinese Ceramics and the Society o f Ancient Chinese Export Ceramics have been formed and meetings are held every two years. The next meeting, scheduled for next year ， w ill focus on the interrelationship o f the Changsha, Qiong ， and Shouzhou Kilns. As all three kilns produced wares w ith underglaze decoration, the question as to which kiln influenced which has given rise to much controversy. Right now, large-scale excavation projects are being con ducted in Hunan and Sichuan at the Changsha kiln and Qiong kiln sites. It is hoped that new finds w ill be ready for exhibition and discussion at the meeting. Q. Is scientific technology used? A. Scientific methods are used to determine authen­ tic ity . We used to send ceramic finds to the Shanghai Institute o f Ceramics, Academia Sinica, where the chemical composition o f the body and glaze, the firing temperature and the physical hardness were analysed. Such analysis was first made by the Shanghai Institute o f Ceramics in the fifties. Now, such analysis can be carried out locally in Hunan, Jiangxi, Beijing and Sichuan at their own Ceramics Research Institutes. Dating, however, depends mainly on experi ence accumulated over the years and objects ACADEMIC/CULTURAL EVENTS 15