A Study On The Proto-porcelain Of The Southern China

This dissertation discusses the occurrence of the proto-porcelain and its disappearance during the middle and later period of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Using this development as a clue, this dissertation explores the cultural and ecological background in which the proto-porcelain is rooted and the pushing effects of the Middle China culture on the manufacturing development of the proto-porcelain of the Southern China. It also attempts to expose the circulation channel of the proto-porcelain between different regions and the related cultural communication. It studies the occurrence, development, prosperity, and metamorphosis of the proto-porcelain from a macro point view and multi-level perspectives.The initial development of the proto-porcelain is based on the development of the stamped pottery. Thus the proto-porcelain and the stamped pottery share the same origin and develop with different characteristics. As the Middle China culture's infiltration to the southern area of China, the development of the proto-porcelain can be classified into two categories: the one based on the Middle China cultural subjectivity and the one based on the aboriginal cultural subjectivity. Actually, the manufacturing techniques stepped over regions. Till the later period of Shang Dynasty, the proto-porcelain spread all over the southern area. The round kiln and the dragon kiln exist at the same time.The proto-porcelain became develop independently during the Western Zhou Dynasty. In the earlier stage, there is an initial division between the proto-porcelain and the stamped pottery. During the Western and the Eastern Zhou Dynasty, people try to apply the style of bronze sacrificial ware to the proto-porcelain. And some classical proto-porcelain works occurred at that time. After the long development of the proto-porcelain techniques, people began to use dragon kiln for producing the proto-porcelain. As the further improvement of the techniques, the molding and decoration of the proto-porcelain was designed in a simple way and displayed the beauty of the raw material. At this time, the process of the cultural integration makes the styles of proto-porcelain become similar and consistent.During the middle and later of the Spring and Autumn Period, the Yue State sprang up. In the southern-eastern area of China, the situation is that the Wu State and Yue State contended for hegemony. The esteem for the Middle China etiquette culture is based on the social and moral canons construction of the seigneurs, such as Gou Jian. On the other side, the need for the bronze sacrificial ware and the lack of raw material made the proto-porcelain the replacement of the bronze sacrificial ware. The porcelain musical instruments of the Yue State inherited the basic format, arrangement, number of the Middle China bronze music system. However, the emblazonry includes the snakes as a totem which implies Yue people's aesthetic psychology and the symbol of monarchic power. At that time, the techniques of producing the proto-porcelain reached the summit.In the Wu and Yue area during the Early Qing period, the development of the proto-porcelain was stable and continuous. The frequent change of the political situation greatly impacted the development of the proto-porcelain. In the later period of the Warring State, the manufacturing of the proto-porcelain was almost stopped. Till the end of the Warring State, the manufacturing recovered. It experienced the nadir during the middle period of the Western Han Dynasty and the disappearance during the middle and later period of the Eastern Han Dynasty. The proto-porcelain development during this period inherited the characteristics of Early Qing and became the origin of the Eastern Han Dynasty proto-porcelain. In the early period, the Chu culture greatly impacted the proto-porcelain's combination. During the later period of the Western Han Dynasty, the manufacturing and type of the proto-porcelain demonstrated the change from Li culture to the secular ideology. The aesthetic standard changes as time goes. The porcelain in Han Dynasty had a trend to imitate the style of lacquer work. The black and gray vitreous enamels were enjoyed by the general public. As the development of manufacturing techniques, the proto-porcelain was developed into mature porcelain during the middle and later period of Eastern Han Dynasty. And this became a mile stone for the development of pottery and porcelain producing history. Generally speaking, it is a great help to study the development of the proto-porcelain and its cultural organic composition, explore the origin, and make up for the deficiency on the pottery and porcelain development history.